Monmouthshire Merlin

v VARIETIES. squire who was boasting of his horse's speed, Sam replied, "Pooh! my horse will stand/«ster than L^t1-an 8a'l°P I k l°k-headed squire being worsted by Sidney Smith I ^rgument, took his revenge by exclaiming, "If I I Vj(»i who was an idot, by Jove, I'd make him a par- \<"Very probably," replied Sidney, but I see r was a different opinion." Ww^Ueman on circuit narrating to the late facetious Ittjuj orbiuy some extravagant feat in sporting, men- S|L. he had lately shot thirty-three hare3 before "Thirty-three hares! (exclaimed his lord- ,Si,' bounds, sir! you must have been firing at n S) £ ?9 will go any length to make a pun. The other Called on hi3 tailor to order a pair of oh-no-we- K^eution-ems. He wanted them done in a hurry. be done, I'll promise you," was the reply. All W" Said Pipps, don't disappoint; now that I have a Ki^j6 of breeches, don't let me have any breaches of ^frt-ACEN SYMPATHY.—The New York Independent V blowing from a mother But did I tell you \Mn I had with my little Joe?" "No, what fcf • "Why I was showing him the picture of the Sbf*° thrown to the lions, and was talking very so- HjL y to him, trying to make him feel what a terrible it was. Ma!" said he all at once, Oh, ma! Vi at ^at poor little lion, away behind there, he to*8et any Vl^iNition OF CHARITY.—Sidney Smith's was an V^lone. "No sooner does A. fall into difficulties, \f begins to consider what C. ought to do for him." Sh physician ventured five thousand guineas the South Sea project. When he was ? 'twas all lost, he coolly replied e iAh S01ng up five thousand pair of stairs more. ■V5 *«or lately concluded a somewhat personal story S!ayng, I will not mention the gentleman a name i A he is now Chancellor of the Exchequer. barrister observed to a learned brother^in court, that tfeiHiskers were very unprofessional. "You are right," his fried a lawyer cannot be too bare-faced." Celebrated 'punster was desired by a gentleman in to make a pun extempore. Upon what sub- *V inquired he. The Queen," answered the other. £ faplied he), the Queen is no subject." ERUDITE MAYOR.—The Worcester Chronicle gives \i°"°wing as a verbatim copy of a letter from a chief Jj^'trate of a certain corporation:—" Dear Sir,—On d^ay next I t0 he made a Mare, and shall be much t^ted to you if so he as you will send me down by the tf* aome provisions fetting for the occasion, and I am 84430 prov rav brother the old Mare, and the rest of the Bentch. Vp 8ur See."—'The above was answered by a wag, into >0^ hands it fell, as foUows:—" Sir,—In obedience to Orders, I have sent psr coach two bushels of the best •onJ and as you are to treat the old Mare I have added hran to make a mash." 11 Jemima went to school, she was asked why the ''itj.^chelor was singular. "Because," she replied, very singular they don't get married." says that the dog has been the companion of tljjj. >0()O years, and has only learned one of his vices, i f, to worry his species when he finds him in trouble. I^Uaiat old minister of the pariah in Lanarkshire one morning gave his text from the Psalms—" I said tJ&y haste all men are liars"—and began his sermon by j^ghtfully saying, "Ay, David, ye said it in your did you ? If ye had lived in this parish, ye might said it »t your leisure Parr when a boy at Harrow, had by intense study oo' old a looking face for his age, that one day V^lliam Jones said to him jokingly, Parr, if you have the good luck to live forty years, you may N.CW of overtaking your face." ^7 whose style of piety was more affected than «->tiT: once took a friend to task for wearing feathers. <V said the friend, why are my feathers any more «5>»*ble than the brilliant artificial flowers in your "SWet?" "Oh," replied the censorious lady, itrStians must draw the line somewhere, and 1 draw » foftthers!" • Sir Walter Scott was riding once with a friend in jto^eighbourbood of Abbotsford, he caoie to a field Cf» Which an Irish beggar, who happened to be near, l^oed to 0pen for him. Sir Walter was desirous ot Jading hia civility by the present of sixpence, but ••g'd that he had not so small acoia in his purse. my good fellow," said the baronet, here a V'iog for you; but mind, you owe me sixpence." j/^»d blees your honour exclaimed Pat: «< m £ v voul- ^»ur live till I pay you." •> ^4* SilCK's DESCRIPTION OP a Teetotali.^ r ttavelled through all the StaUs of Maine with one of chaps. He waa aa thin as a whiPPlug-po*>t. uis Wicked like a blown bladder after some of the air hU e#ted out, kinder wrinkled and rumpled like, and <tf j,6?** as dim as a lamp that's livin' on short allowance III f* He put me in minti of a pair of kitchen tonga, shaft, and head, and no belly, a real gandei- t,3ed critter, as hollow as a bamboo walkm uane, and jji Qa yaller. He actilly looked aa it he had been off a rock at sea, and dragged through a gimlet He was a lawyer. Thinks I, -Lor a massy on > clien,ta> you hungry, half-starved lookin' crittur Vi?*' you'll eat 'em up alive, as sure as I'm born. You tgijuot the chap to strain a gnat and swalluw a came), j,|> shank, and flank, all at a gulp. MITFOKD AND HEK TUKBA.V.—Eound and fut J&fer8on, Miss Mitford was what Lord Byron called a i.'Umpy woman," and MissLandon had described herns ^anoho Panza in petticoats." Her t'aoe, like her figure, and round, but pleasant and good-humoured, tkj indicative rather of intelligence than of genius. Of ^*rtof dress she knew nothing. On her way to an k^ing patty at the lecturer's house, she purchased a jj^t unbecoming yellow turban, which caused her to be Borae time an object of merriment to the whole room, 4'149 to the fact of the shopkeeper from whom she had OSht it having forgotten to remove from behind it a ticket bearing the printed inscription—" Very Ouly 6s. 6d," ROWLAND HILL.-Rowland Hill was very susceptible to flattery. A tradesman residing near his chapel, ob- serving this foible in his minister, ingratiated himself, in process of time, into his good opinion and friendship by obsequious attentions and fulsome adulation. The office of tax-collector having been offered to the tradesman provided he could obtain security for £ 2000, he hastened without delay to inform Rowland Hill thereof, who, on hearing the condition upon which the appointment could be obtained, voluntarily offered to become the surety, and was quite restless until he signed the bond. After the lapse of a year or two the tradesman failed and ran away with the Government money. It was late on a Saturday evening that Rowland Hill received a letter from the solicitor of the Treasury, stating that if the sum of zC2000 for which he had became bond was not paid forthwith legal proceedings would be immediately taken against him to recover the amount thereof. This notification greatly annoyed and mortified him but he kept the mat- ter to himself, not even divulging it to his wife, for a few hours at least, as you shall hear. The following day happened to be Sacrament Sunday. No sooner had he made his appearance in the chapel than his congregation observed that something more than ordinary was on his mind, but what it was they could not conjecture. At length, during the administration of the sacrament, the cause of his depression of spirits was revealed. He could no longer keep the secret. Scarcely had the curate read the passage, He that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord," than he immediately exclaimed to the earn- municants I hope you will not forget the plates as you pass by I am going to give all the money I have about me, rather than the devil should have it. And then, pulling his nose, he added 'A scoundrel for whom I became surety for zC2000 has taken me in, and I shall have to pay for it to-morrow. What makes it more certain that the devil has had a hand in the fraud is, that I have been preaching all my life against one person becoming surety for another.—Recollections of Mr. Jay. JOKING A JOKER.—They tell a good story of Ilaliam and Rogers. The poet said, Ilow do you do, Hallam ?" Do what?" Why how do you find yourself?" "I never lose myself." Well, how have you been ?" Been, where ?" Pshaw how do you feel ?" "Feel me, and see." Good morning, Hallam." "It's not a good morning." Rogers could say no more. Misfortunes are like thunder and stormy clouds-in the distance they appear black, but when over our heads they are scarcely grey. As bad dreams donote an agree- able future, so will it be with the often painful dream of life when it is past. All our strong feeling, like ghosts, have their influence for a certain period only and if a man were to say to himself this passion, this pain, this rapture, is sure after three days to lose its effect on the mind, then would he always be more com- posed and quiet.—Jean Paul Michter. AN APPETITE rott OYSTERS.—It may be remembered that not very long since every dinner commenced with oysters, and that many of the guests swallowed some few dozen, even as mOlriY as twelve dozun. I wished to ascer- tain the weight of this (ivantgarde, and I found that a dozen oysters (water included) weighed four ounces, or twelve dozen three pounds. This satisfied me that the same meu who eat a hearty dinner afterwards would have been completely appeased had they eaten the same quantity of meat, even of chicken. Wnijst at Versailles in 1796, as commissary for the directory, I was cou- tinually brought in contact with Sieur Laperte, grcfiL-r of the tribunal, a great amateur of oysters. He said he never yet had been able to eat enough at one sittiug, or, as he expressed it, tout soil soul." I resolved to pro- cure him that satisfaction, and 1 invited him to dinner. cure him that satisfaction, and 1 invited him to dinner. He came. I kept time with him up to the third ui zen, when I let him go on alone. He-luul aatea iK.w-p 1» dozen; the operation taking an hour, the person who opened them being rather slow and is 1 had not dined I stopped him when he appeared only in full swing. Mon cher," I said, it is not your fate to eat your soul of oyster to-day. Let us dine We did so, and he made as hearty a dinner as if he had been fasting.- Simpson's Handbook of Dining. ELOCUTION IN THE CnuucH.—Can you give me a »ood reason why we laymen should be condemned to listen to the mode in which the Lessons are read in our churches and chapels, to the destruction of that simpli- city which is the soul of all instruction, and especially of that which is religious? I allude to the prominent use of the ed as affixed to our preterites and participles, and which is all the more noticeable as it is utterly un- known to our conversational usage, to the judicial bench, the lecture room, or the senate. I mention this variation from ordinary usage as the capital objection, for so far as it deviates from common practice, it is a disturbing element in the discipline, andjwo tanto an extraneous demand upon our attention. Like bad dress, it invites attention for its own sake. The superiority of Scripture to other books is not limited to the matter, but extends also to the language. If the former is Godlike, so is the latter, and the fact cannot be emphasized too strongly. But this superiority of style is not made apparent either by a holy lisp or a mode of speaking abhorrent to the usages of a cultivated and civilized people, but lies deep in the texture and framework of the Imguage itself. It shows a very low estimate of the grandeur of the lan- guage of the Sacred B joks to suppose that it needs the paltry device in question to give it prominence and origi- nality. The language is absolutely desecrated by the practice, as I shall presently show but this is not all, or the most formidable objection. Tht> sense is obscured by it, and made to find its way into the mind with a tardi- ness and perplexity fully commensurate to its use. What purpose is served by such readings as, And his disciples asked him,"—" That the Scripture might be fulfills^,— And I punished them oft in iny synagogue, and com- pelled them to blaspheme," —" And they were all amazed and marvelled greatly"? The answer, I know, i,4, that these are parts oi Scripture, and therefore ought not to be read as we read other books; but we have already seen that Scripture has other modes of demonstrating its supe- riority, and therefore does not need such artifices to im- press us with the feeling that it is a divine book. But, in addition to this, I maintain that the following pairs of -s expression are not equivalent for intellectual purposes, and cannot lie made to become so, constituted as our con- ventional usages of speech now are —askef rand asked, fnHLled and fulfilled, amazed and amazed, compellerf and compelled.—"I have been to c..lI on Lord Chol-mon-de- ley," said a pedant one day to Foote, but he was not at home."—" No," said Foote, nor any of his pe-o-ple ?" The application is plain enough. The English world says people, and that is no argument that we should not use the same pronunciation when reading the sacred volume, but the contrary. The object of such reading is to enlighten the mind, and there are materials in glorious abundance for that purpose already provided in the volume itself, if we are careful to look for them, without laying on it the violent hands here deprecated. To paint the lily, to add another hue unto the rainbow, is already pronounced ridiculous excess. I may add, and not less so to clothe a Grecian statue in a blouse and gaiters." -Correspondent of A thence nm. While Lord North was discussing one of the most serious points of a question under examination, a dog, which had concealed himself under the table of the House of Commons, made his escape, and ran directly across the floor of the house, setting up at the same time a violent howl. It occasioned a burst of laughter, and ojight have disconcerted all ordinary man. But he, who knew how to convert the most awkward occurrence to his advantage, having waited till the roar had subsided, and preserving all his gravity, said to the Speaker—" Sir, I have been interrupted by a new member not acquainted with the forms of the House I therefore yielded to him. Hut as ho has concluded his argument, I shall resume niine."

ADULXERatei) BEER.1 '3 sa'^ l')at somo brewers make use 0| picHc adJ in9t(,ad of hops, in the manufacture ot beer. Th0 8olmiou 0f that acid has somewhat of the bitter taste of hops, and imparts to the beer the same ye low colour, As this substance is regarded by some as deletuious, while others strenuously assert lite contrary. it is worth while to Poiut ou(. a lest by vvhich the presence in beer may be deteeted. All beer then, which coutains picric acid, on being evaporated 'to on -tenth its bulk, gives, when t.cated by potash 0l-a Solu- tion of nitre, a yellow precipitate which when dried fuses upon burning charcoal. Itl Jh' L j yel|0*; it loses its yellow colour and bin. T i with powdered charcoal or acetate of tl^'fon- trary, beer made with hops does not ?" 0nthe C°" either when treated with nitre or potaihwiH 1>r.ecl.p1^a. does not stain white wool of a yellow colour •' a ,10* ) it neither loses its flavour nor its colour h^- lastlj', the powder of charcoal or acetate of lead 'xh'8^ tion, therefore, between the two Substance's i3 ve^yclear" and their presence in the beer easily detected.

6CNMRT IUU-<S. THE PRINCESS FREDERICK WILLIAM.-Nothing could exceed the pleasure manifested by the Princess Frederick William at revisiting the scene of her childhood and youth at Osborne. All the new arrangements, every alteration, and all the little additions were detected at once, and the kindest greetings, and the most gracious recognitions, were accorded to all the members of the Royal House- hold. Her Royal Highness is certainly thinner than when she left England, but looks remarkably well in health and truly happy. — Court Journal. THE PRINCE OF WALES.—We learn from Spain that the Prince of Wales was about to set forth on a tour through Andalusia. The Spanish appears to be the only modern European language with which he is not familiar; for, despite his extreme youth, he may already take rank as an accomplished gentleman. The Queen of Spain has given directions to the authorities to receive the Prince with all the distinction due to his exalted rank. The alcades and other authorities will pay him all attention. Bull-fights are to be got up in his honour, and other amusements, which will enable him to carry back to England as agreeable an impression as possible of the Andalusians and their beautiful province. THE FRENCH EMPEROR.—As an example of the self- possession of the Emperor, a story is told in the circle of the Tuileries that some days before his Majesty's depar- ture for the army, he had ordered a box to be sent from Giroux to a lady residing at Piombieres, on the occasion of the fete. With one foot on the steps of the carriage which was to convey him to the station, he turned to one of the chamberlains and reminded him to inquire if the box had been duly despatched, bidding him forward the particulars to head-quarters. CALEDONIAN FANOY DRESS BALL.—This annual fete, always one oi the leading events of the London season, and which for many years past has drawn together the aristocracy of Scotland, has been definitively fixed to take place on Monday, the 27th of June—as usual, at Willis s Rooms. Already more than forty ladies have subscribed their names as patronesses of the bati and the indefatigable treasurer, Sir Charles Forbe,, promises that the arrangements for the present year's festival, shall surpass all that have gone before it. FATAL ACCIDENT.—A fatal accident, which has cast a gloom over a large circle of friends, occurred a few days ago to a young sudent of Trinity College, Logiealmond, Perthshire, a son of Mr. Farquharson, of Finzean. He was attempting to descend a steep brae above ths Almond, when a tree, by which he was holding, gave way in his hand. His foot, as he slipped downwards, caught in a projecting rock, so as to throw him forward head foremost on the stony edge of the river. The neck was dislocated by the violence of the fall, and instinta- neous death ensued. Mr. Farquharson was a very pro- mising boy of fifteen, much beloved and deeply lamented by all his companions and friends. THE EXPENSES OF THE WAR.-The expenses of the war are already enormous, and f,nv Frenchmen have any conception ot them. Independently of the money spent in France on the increased army and navy, the purchase of provisions and stores, besides their conveyance to Italy, the reconstruction of materiel, making new equip- ments, buying horses, railway fares, and almost an infi- nity of other items of cost, there are sent daily from Marseilles 3,000,000 francs in 9pecie, or £ 120,000. This makes £43,000,000 annually. It ia not likely that the exportation of money to this amount can last; but if it should, we can scarcely err in estimating the cost of the war at £ 80,000,000 a-year. If we ren,ernoer that for every 59f. the Slate receives on loan, it has to incur a debt of lOOr., it would uvakj the real expenditure JU.XT.QQQ.QOK n-G«ar • F.U- „r. ||.„ — pensos of war out of tTTo ordinary receipts of taxation. THE TURNER AND VERNON PICTURES.—The trustees of the National Gallery, having unhappily for the public some control over the Turner and Vernon collections in their new home, object to the liberal system under which the Sheepshanks' gallery is shown being applied to these national treasures. "Ten to four, and no gaslight allowed," is, in effect, their answer to all applications. So the Turner drawings -the Vernon pictures—are to be shut away from the evening public—that is to say, from tlte public. No reason for this exclusion is vouchsafed. Nor do we believe that any good reason can be found. It is not pretended that the evening visitors at South Kensington are of a sort to do the pictures more harm than the morning visitors. It is not affirmed that gas, when properly managed, is more injurious to paint than sunlight, heat, and dust. What, then, is the reason for this refusal to allow the public access to their own possessions ? Is it a personal reason ? The parties who stand in the way of a popular arrangement like this may rest assured that the public will not accept the decision they have come to without knowing the reason why.— Athenaum. AUSTRIAN Smppix&.—The six weeks granted by the French Emperor to allov Austrian vessels to quit French ports has been revoked, in consequence of a French and a Sardinian vessel having been seized by the Austrians at Trieste; and we understand that there are three French war steamers now cruising in the Malta channel, looking out for Austrian vessels. There are soma forty Austrian merchant ships in the port of Malta, none of which, of course, under present circumstances, dare ven- ture out. TIIE BRITISH CONSULATE AT ROME.—Mr. Freeborn, many years the British Consul in Rome, died OR the 23rd inst. The business of the Consulate is conducted temporarily by Mr. Ereole, who has been employed in the office since 1831, aud has assisted Mr. Freeborn in stormy times, when the British Consulate was able to render important service to those who were compromised by political events. RLVIHt COMMUNICATION IN AUSTRALIA.—The con- nexion by water of the heart of the Australian continent with Europe, is now in course of accomplishment. It is a fact which wil1, doubtless, be regarded with consider- able interest, that the wool brought down the JDornling and the Murray, has been placed on board the Arabella, ior London, without having once been landed since it ieft the stations. The cargo from Mount Murchisou will, c >n?equently, be conveyed by an uninterrupted line of water communication to its destination in the London Hocks.— Australian and New Zealand Gazette. ARMSTRONG GUN. Sir William Armstrong, by the end of July, will have given us 300 of his new guns, and by the end of the year 700. These will be for land defence. For sea, Sir William recommends only the heaviest description of his artillery—120-pounders. ASSYRIAN SCULPTURE.—The new room now being prepared in the British Museum for the exhibition of the Assyrian sculpture brought to this country by Sir H. Rawlinson and Mr. Loftus, is fast progressing towards its completion. It is situated at the west of the building and is reached by a staircase descending from the gallery occupied by Mr. Layard's sculptures. Although under ground this new room is well lighted, and is ninety feet long by forty feet broad. The sculptures are let into the wall all round, and in the centre is an inner roam in which certain of the slabs are ranged in order exactly as I they were found in one of the ruined palaces. From the abundance of light they are seen to the greatest advan- tage and being of a highly interesting character, repre- senting lion hunts and other sports of not quite so dan- gerous a character, besides other phases of Assyrian in and out-door life, also battles and sieges, among which is reckoned that of Lachish, by the great Sennacherib, all carved in the most lively manner—the public will be pleased to know that there is a prospect of this room being soon opened to them. 1 ERILOUS FEAT.-An English sailor, belonging to the crew of the Dolphin, climbed the spire of the cathedral of Antwerp recently, and, after sitting outside on the weather- cock for some minutes, descended in safety. We hear of another separation, purely from" incorn- patibility, the husband being a litterateur of some note and the wife being a lady of remarkable beauty.-Court Journal. NEW ZEM.AND.—The emigration to this rising colony is advancing rapidly. One house in London (Messrs. Shaw, aiJd Co.,) have despatched under the flag ot .the i avenger's line, since the eommoueetnoui, of the year, twelve ships, giving a total of 8,y00 tons, and have now loading five fine vessels, one of them, the Matoalca, is the largest ship ever despatched to New Zealand I- ing upwards of 3,000 tons burden, and capable of clny" ing 450 passengers; already more than 300 have en gaged berths. The emigrants consist principally of farmers, agricultural labourers, mechanics, and milidlc- class persons, who go to New Zealand as a future home with every prospect of success. The Matoa/ca will be followed by the Nourmahal in July-a ship of 2 000 tons. The great attraction seems to be the free grants of land given by the Auckland Government to every emi- grant paying his own passage money. DEFENCE OF THE FRENCH COAsT.-The increase of the English Channel Fleet, says a correspondent in the Independance Beige has imposed upon France the duty of replacing in the western ports the ships wliica have been sent to the Mediterranean. There will, therefore, ba armaments in those ports, but within the necessary limits for re-establishing the equilibrium of the forces, and for giving an additional guage to maritime power. As to the levies of sailors, they have been fixed at the lowest scale, and, as the journals of Toulon recently an- nounced, the execution of the measures recently deter- mined on are postponed." A WORKING MAN ON RIFLE COllps,-The following letter was sent to the magistrate of the Worship street Police Court, Mr. Selfe, last week —Thursday, May 26th, 1859. For the Honerable Mr. Self, Chief Magis- trate of the Thame Police Court, Stepney. Dear Sur i kim about to ask you a favour will you be so kind as toe give me an answear to that favour wich i am about to ask you by so doing you will oblige your humbel servant by answearing this favour in one of the Dailey news- papers the Queastion wich i Am about to ask Dear Sir is about the Present Condisson of our war on tLe Contingnent wich may lead to serious results though we have triead to keep neauttral in not interfering i thinks with all our wise policy we shall have to Interfeer after all and wat i am going to ask you Dear Sir is this will you be so kind in using all your power in trying to ask the Government to alow your a Rifle Volunteer Corpse for the parish of Stepney and other Suburbs of the tower IIamletts wich wood always be very handey in fear of an invasion in my opinion and wood be a very great servise to the Government of this Country in pro- tecting our Shores in fear of Despots about Threatening our country with an invasion because you now as well as i do sir what the first napolican wars spreading all of the country of Euiopes and wot is the predecessor of France i mean Louise Napolican but following the foot- steps of his uncle napolican the first, in causing wars ail about Europes, and i say, sir, that we aut to be prea- pared against any such Despots that may try to invade us at some future day when we rnident be preapared, because we all nod the french have never forgot water- loo, and thats wot makes them how us a grudge the Government and people of Europes and now I am about to Conclude Dear Sir in my leter wishing to give now efence by ofending you by asking you this qucastion will you be so kind in trying to ask the Government to allow a Rifle Corpse for the parish of Stepney, and the others suburbs of the Tower Ilamletts because all other places are forming rifle corpses already, and i think, Sir, we might form a very nice regiment in the Tower Hamletta they would be practised in Victoria-park if we can get them formed i am one that wood join directly in forming one of the volunteers for the Tower Hamlets Rifle Corpse i now am about to say all I have to say to you Dear Sir, will you be so kind in giving my answear in one of the Daily papers, by so doing you will oblige your Umbel servant,—A WopKiNOr MAN. N.B. i wants to see Rifle Corpses all over The Kingdom. DARING ESCAPE OF A PmsoNER.—On Saturday morn- ing information was circulated from the chief office of police, at Scotland-yard, of a daring escape of a prisoner from custody by jumping from a railway train while tra- velling at a great speed on the Tilbury and Southend Rtilway. Ila was apprehended on Friday. Duringtho time the train was in motion, the prisoner kept in con- versation with the officer, but, about a mile from the Minories station, he suddenly rosu from his sea!, opened the carriage door, and, holding by it, jumped out. The officer, however, succeeded in catching one of tiie skirts of his coat, which he held fast ia his hand, th prisoner at the same time contriving to keep up running with the -tratn. Ir, 1n.t:"n& th-c -opxrit carriage truur caTinnn ■euii- f taot with some empty carriages standing on a siding, and which, flring b-lck, struck the officer oil the head, and stunned him for the moment. 0,1 recovering himself, Crouch found the skirt of the man's co tt, which, he had ia been holding by, in the carriage, and on looking out of the carri ige window saw his late prisoner making his way over the parapet of the railway, leaving his hat on the line of rail. AN ADVENTURE IN ALGERIA.—The Alchir of Algiers relates the following alarming adventure which took place at Mostaganem — Two brothers, named Braquct, were about to ascend in a balloon, one of them having engaged to go through a variety of gymnastic exercises on what is called the trapese—a piece of wood suspended from two ropes hanging below the car. As the spectacle was a novel one in that part of the country, a great mul- titude had collected. At the moment when the order was g1 yen to let go, the men who had hold of the ropes all obeyed the order with the exception of one, a Spa- niard, who by some mismanagement, got entangled in tHe rcpe which he had hold of, and was lifted in the air. the alarm of the spectators was extreme, but they be- came somewhat tranquil by seeing the man climb up the rope and, though not without som? difficulty, tike his seat on the piece of wood, astride which one of the aero- nauts was seated. The Spaniard, finding the balloon ascending, became alarmed, and called loudly on Braquet to descend. I want to get down," said he. And I," replied Braquet, going through his exercises, want to get rid of you, so let go. But let me get down, I say. I cannot sit comfortably here." It was not I who asked you to come here," said Braquet; why do you intrude yourself here ?" My head is getting dizzy, and I am losing my hold," urged the Spaniard. Shut your eyes," said Braquet. In this state the man was borne through the air for some time, when at length the aeronaut in the car took compassion on him, and skilfully bringing the balloon near the ground, enabled him to drop along the rope from the critical position in which he was seated, and reach the ground without any in- jury beyond a few bruises. The balloon then re- ascended. LY.VCSI LAW IN ILLINOIS.—A mm and his wife, by the name of Bell, were arrestedVind examined before "a justice1, on a charge of stealing 180 dollars. Nothing 11 conclusive was proved against them, but they were still held in custody. On Wednesday night, May 4, when no one was dreaming of danger, a number of men in dis- guiie broke into the house at which they were staying, and after fastening the justice in his room !o prevent his interference, they proceeded to take possession of the prisoners. The man fought like a tiger, but was soon overpowered, and both were carried off to the woods. They were told that if they would not confess the theft and give up the money they would be immediately hung. As neither one would acknowledge anything, they at once proceeded to accomplish their fiendish purposes. The man was first hung up and kept there until he was entirely unconscious, and then, with a refinement of cruelty which could only be looked for in the most har- dened brutes, he was taken down and buried in a shallow hole, which was dug for the purpose, to make his wife believe that he was dead, in the hope of frightening her into a confession. But the woman was plucky, and would give them no satisfaction. She was accordingly swung up by the same rope used on her husband, and was let bang till life was nearly exlinct. In the mean time the man was taken from his grave, and the lynchers finding that nothing was to be got out of them after some difficulty resuscitated them, and left thorn to get home as best they could. No arrcsls had been made^un to yesterday, but preparations were being made for the apprehension of three or four of those concerned — Chicago Press. THE CAT AND THE SQUIRREL.—Mr. John Varty, of Ousby, a gentleman who has devoted much time to study- lug the habits of wild animals, was fortunate a fueV days ago in obt-umng a nest of young squirrels, which he took home and deposited carefully in a corner until he prepared a cage for their reception. What was his sur- prise to observe a favourite pussey take possession of the youngster- a possession which neither persuasion nor force could induce her to relinquish but gathering them beneath her with maternal tenderness, she invited them to accept the place of her defunct kittens, which bad been drowned awhile before; the invitation was readily accepted by th squirrels, which fell to sucking pussey in good earnest. The old cat watches over them with great tenderness, to the great amusement of all who see them.—Carlisle Examiner. FOR THE Fox HUNTERS.—A Dutch paper makes us acquainted with a branch of commerce of the existence of which we were not previously aware, namely, young foxes. It is stated that in the course of the last three weeks sixty-six cubs have been sent from Bergeuop- Zoom to be shipped at Rotterdam for England. WOMAN AS A FARMER.—We learn from a Southern paper that the most extensive plantation in Louisiana is managed by a woman—Mrs. A. E. Flint. During the last year she raised 1,800 hogsheads of molasses and 400 bales of cotton-the largest crop produced on any plan- tation in that State. COAL CONTRABAND OF WAR.—The offisiil declara- tion in the Paris JT<)tiit<'urt that the French Government has resolved henceforth to includo coal among the arti- cles that are contrabmd of war; will take ti commer- cial world somewhat by surprise, Ilid such an an- nouncement been made by Austria, it would have been intelligible enough for she has so completely abandoned all idea of contesting the command of the seas with her enemy that she does not at all require that ina--urial ut which it is of supreme necessity to Franca to have an abundant supply for the use of her steam fl«et. But it is of little consequence what articles Austria pronounces to be contraband of war, for she is without the means of enforcing her decisions. As regards France. however, the case is totally different. While Great Britain re- mains neutral, the French have to fear no equal oil the ocean; and in the present war the reasous wniua would make Austria strongly desirous to exclude coal from tne list of articles of legitimate commerce are precisely t lose which should guide the wishes of France in an exactly opposite direction. Indeed, the conduct of the French Government in issuing this declaration is apparently so suicidal that one cannot help asking whether there iaiv not he a injtive for it that cannot at first sight be dis- cerned. The supply of coal in France is notoriously in- sufficient for the demand, and for the last few years the British merchants have been using such strenuous exer- tions to beat th. Belgians, their principal rivals, out of the market, that the export of coals from this country to Havre, Marseilles, and other French ports, has gradually increased, till, in the month of April alone in tlis year, its valve fell not very fir short of £ 203,0J0, altiiougi! the apprehension of war must have already in tnltt month had unfavourable influence on the commerce in thoso articles about which there was any doubt whether they were contraband of war. Can France, then, do without the four or fiva million tons of coal whion it takes fiom us in the course of a year, just at a time when her consumption of tnis ma'eria! is likeiy to become much greater than usual ? Oh course, French protec- tionists will raise a howl of delight at the exclusion of the hated English material, and will congratulate the Government on its courage in relying on native industry. But the Emperor can scarcely have been so weak as to wish to gain over a single cluss by squandering the money of the nation upm the coalowners, who would exact a high price for what he could purchase at a cheip rate on this side of the Channel, and would, after alt, fail adequately to supply his wants from their few and unproductive mines.—Manchester Guardian. A NEW WAY TO WIND UP A LAW PLEA.—In the mid- dle of last month a case was reported, in which a young woman named Jessie Taylor, who was carrying on a flourishing grocery business in Hospital-street, Haloiie- sontown, Glasgow, sued Adam Baird Forsyth ford-images for breach of promise of marriage. Tne lovers had had a slight misunderstanding on the way home fro n church, and this Mr. Forsyth chose as the reason for takm' the rue." Miss Taylor felt deeply aggrieved by this freak of her swain, and by the advice of her friends she raised an action, concluding for £ 200 damages. Tue cue cane before Srleriff Smith, who found that Miss Taylor had just grounds of complaint, and that Mr. Forsyth was en- titled to pay R30 for slighting" the damsel to who 11 he had proffered his heart and hand. The case was appealed to Sheriff Sir Archibald Alisou, who moJi'd-'j tile damage to flO, on the ground that there was bhme on both sides, the temper of the pursuer being rather "short." From the turn matters have now taken, it would appear that Jessie andAdam, after their fignt, have become better friends than ever. In fact he thought it foolish to wind-up the affair by paying the damages, bel iev i ng^ t ii a t to invest ttie cash in tiie general stoek was the question a second time. Miss Taylor, believing in the Old adage that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," and that the better way was to forget and for 'ive accepted the offer, aud on Wednesday lust ttie knoT^as tied for better or worse.—Glasgow Herald. EXTENSIVE FRAUDS ON ODD Fr:LV)W; J. warrant is now in the hands of the Leeds police for the appre- hension of George Terry, brazier and tinner, Woodhouse- lane, Leeds, and Grand Master of the Grand United Order of Old Feliows, who absconded on Sunday morn- ing 1:i.st. lIe is charged with frauds to the amount of £4:,000, and the manner in which they have been com- mitted is not less villainous, nor the injuries inflicted scarcely less deplorable, than those brought to light in the cases of the celebrated swindlers, Sir Jo!in°Dean laul, R ibson, and Redpath. Mr. Terry, who is a man about 50 years of age, has been generally looked upon as a successful and trustworthy tradesman. In 1833 he became connected with the Grand United Ordsr of O Jd Fellows, and by his apparently sincere attention to the interests of the society he was, in 1839, appointed grand muster, and in that capacity bec-trne also treasurer. He was also treasurer for the Leeds district, comprising neaiiy od lodges, treasurer for his own local lod 'e and chairman aud treasurer of the widow and orphans' fund. A loan society, bearing the title of the Odd Fellows' Loan Socioty, but not; connected with the order, was established, and Atr. Terry was appointed treasurer of this. It was fondly believed that in his hands every, thing would be safe and prosperous; and so great was the confidence reposed in him that, until recently, the ¡ business of the society was left entirely with him. "Tiiua he was enabled to carry on his netariou practices tor a long time without fear of detection. A few years since his likeness was taken and engraved at the expense of the order, as a mark of respect. Numbers of his ad- mirers possessed themsetves ot his couuturKji: but many ot the engravings are, at the present moment, d.s ributed through the police courts of Great Britain as a guile to his apprehension. About 15 years since the members of the order for the Leeds district presented him with a silver watch and guard, and five years ago the general order made him a present of a gold lever watch, worth 20 guineas, and a purse of 30 guineas. The manner io which he obtained most of the money was simple enough in his capacity of chairman, and also treasurer to ttio loan society. In ordv-r to avoid discovery, he regularly paid the depositors their interest at the rate of £5 per cent., this being the amount he alleged the society was making. Among a number of painful cases we may mention the loliowing :-For years had a middle-aged couple striven to save a little money, to be ready in case of need. By and by the wife becomes a widow, and the hard-earned sum of £600 is, for safety and interest, deposited with Air. Ter-ry, as treasurer of the loan so- ciety. This sum would have supported and comforted the widow in her old age, but by the rascality of the man in whose hands it was placed, she is deprived of her all. A thrifty porter at the Great Northern Station, by several years' deprivation, scrapes together JBIO. This ia like- wise swallowed up by Terry. The" grand master" also held in tru,;t about £4:00 for two children, and in various other ways has he defrauded a great number of persons resident in Leeds and the neighbourhood. The defi- ciencies ascertained aro as tollo.vs :—Loan society, be- tween £ 2,000 and £ 3,000; the order, £ 500; locai lodge, about £;jO; widow and orphans' fund, £ 130. What has become ot all these moneys is a matter of surprise, for Mr. Terry was not an extravagant man, and he did a nourishing business. It is to be hoped that much of it may be recovered and restored, at least in par', to the rightful owners. George Terry has been made a bank- rupt, and, according to Act of Parliament, the order of Old Feilows will tirst be paid in full what is due from the estate,—Manchester Examiner. SUICIDE OF AN OFFICER AT SHOSNCLIFFE.—A young lieutenant belonging to the Royal City of Dublin Militia, stationed at the A range of huts, named Thomas George Keogh, has committed suicide. The rash act was committed very early on Sunday morning, while the deceased was under close arrest in his room. Various rumours were circulated with reference to the cause of the arrest. A £ 50 note had been stolen from one of the officers' quarters, and it was reported that the deceased was suspected of being concerned in the abstraction or appropriation of the missing note, the number of which is not known, but it is alleged that the deceased had re- cently changed a £ 5 ) note at Dover. On Monday after- noon the county coumer, Mr. Thomas Thorpe Delasaux, held an inquest on the deceased in the messroom of the regiment, The evidence did not confirm any of these lumours. It merely proved that the deceased had been very much depressed and was in pecuniary difficulties, fhe jury found that the deceased destroyed himself 1.1) poison wilile labouring under a fit of temporary in- sanity. According to the Delhi Gazttte, Colonel Edwardes has at last obtained leave to visit England on lurloog Major James, lately appointed commissioner of Leia, wi 1 I otficidte for him. Culonel Edwardes will thus ha\e leisure to devote himself to the Life ot Sir lienry Law- rence, for which he has been collecting materials. MVMCGMUMBI—EAWAA— THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH AT RAMSGATE.—Some ad- ditional particulars hive just been brought to light in reference to this mysterious case, which may assist the public in coming to a conclusion upon the question of murder or suicide. The identity of the deceased has been satisfactorily ascertained. He was a German named fcrederiok, or Friedrich Mattern, and was known in New York, where be has two brothers living. Tileir names are J tcoa and Honry .VUttern, aal they are not in very good circumstances Tne debase I, Freierick Mattern arrived in New York from Germany about t v > years a<»o' and while there he worked as a butcher. One day, about 14 inontns ago, he was occupied in cutting meat for sausages by a macrune, when, by some accident, his hand nec une entangled in he machine aad tIw joints of the tore and second fingers were cut off. This was the muti- lation. whicu the deceased appeared anxious to conceal during :iis stay m E iglanl. tie issupoos;d to bave bad jin his possession on leaving America from 160 dollars to 2o0 dollars. His father and mother, Jacob and Cithe- rine Mattern, are alive, an 1 reside at Woltstein R^eia- fels, B iyer, Germany." He is desenbed as a person of eserve I manners, but not hypochondriacal nor subject to aberration of mind. Tue supposition tint this was a (fs* self-mutilation *nd suicide is undoubtedly strengthened by tne circumstance of tne deceased havine been a outcher. No in ormatioa has yet been obtained to show a motive for suicide, but it is considered not im. orob.b!e that tne deceased hid lost a large p irtion of his money either by gamoling or in Some other Vay after his irmal in London, and tiiat he tuemefortii resolved to Ie^roy himself, aud at tne same time to remove trie inu- ulated hand winch would serve for his ide,inflation, tlis object in concealing his identity may probably have' o^en to spare the feelings of his pirents PARLIAMENT AND WAR.-As x3 see'the members of the HLBe returning like schoolboys unwillingly to their t isiis, and nreaanng only of the ill-learnt lesson which titey are sen', b wk to learn, it is no great stretch of fancv to imagine them suffering a war change. These quiet men wih be great in marches and surprises, in camps, in divisions and reserves, and new guns and floiting bat- tenes. borne will be burning wit,, indignation at inju- ries committed or endured, at the c.riru .s of oiwer or the breaches of order. Out of 503 months will leap that wnicn is uppermost in the heart, and our second edition will frequently reduce to insignificance tiie subject of the adjourned debate 0:1 the independent member's yearly motion. lhe simple question, whether Government has received accurate information on such or such a current report, will prove more suggestive than the well-prepared and well-concerted party demonstration; an i, while the C.nanccllor of the Exchequer is ingeniously explaining why a new tax is not as productive as it ought to be or proposing a vote for education, the House will be thiin- lerstrucic with the intelligence that a foreign capital lies at the mercy of an invader. They who have the faintest recollection of the old war remember the increasing ten- dcucy of domestic affairs to slide into routine, °whil6 foreign affairs alone could rouse the public mind to curiosity and exertion. A dozen nntions were knocking at the doors, and demanding our sympathy in turn. A dozen great games were being played for the amusement ot the world. A dozan armies were moving to and fro like the red sparks that creep through tinder. Fleets' blockades, sieges, pursuits by sea and land, seemed to fill tue whole surface of terrestrial things. True, we were then in it ourselves. We despised neutrality, and either bought or bullied every other State into action. But that will make no difference. Our interest will be as keen as ever. We shall still have to discuss daily the arguments for and against neutrality, and shall not retain iii 'OUg unless we are prepared to stand the invectives and iMuiu of every race disappointed in our aid. Tnese will be the questions that will agitate Parliament. These will divide the House of Commons, and create new party cries. O.i some such mitter will the House next be sent to the country, the Minister next be sent for, and the Government next be formed, with .vhat satisf .ction to reformers, peacemakers, economists, educationists, and i!,e Ui'oji of we will not venture to siy.— lhe Junes. J Sllt JOIIX PAKIXOTOX oi HXGLAVO AND THE WAR. -de did not think that any one occupying the high and honourable position ui Her Maj^.y'a councils of First Lord of tae Al.mralty would do his duty who should for a moment tolerate the idea that any single Power or com- bination of Powers would be able to dispute the su- premacy ot England on the sea. With ivg ird to the present aspect oi affairs, it might anj probably would be very difficult, if the war wuieu had unhappily broken out in Lurope should be long protracted, for England to pre- serve her neutrality. He could, however, assure them that tne policy oi Her Majesty's present Government was really and truly neutrality. Nor did lie kuow ot the slightest reison at tne present moment way that neutrality snouid not be preserved. lIe was sure that it was tne interest of England to remain at peace, an 1 ue m .st earne*ly hoped that Her Majesty's Government would bj .bie so to conduct the business of the nation as to allo.v England to continue in that peaceful condition in w.iie.h all true lovers of their country desired it to remain. They had notning whatever to do with the quarrels of the CJfi- tinental Powers. It was a most unhappy quarrel, and had led to a state of circumstances which was already most disastrous to contemplate. It was shociun- to reflect upon the condition of affairs in the North of ludy where at that veiy moment hundreds of thousands of armed men were gitiiered together for the purpose of imbiuing their hands in blood, fir the destruction of human hfe, and .vho would spread desoiaiioti, wretched- ness, an l barrenness over some of the most fertile plains in the whole world. He believed that it would puzzle any man's braiu at this moment to say why ull this misery was occasioned. It was, howover, the duty of Her Mojesty's Government to take every possible pre- caution which human wisdom could devise in order to prevent x^ugiand from becoming entangled in this most unhappy and, be would add, tins most unnecessary war. Speech on Saturday. FAST LIFE AT CAMBRIDGE.—On Friday, in the Cam- bridge County Court, George Jobn Watts, an under- graduate, formerly of Corpus Cnristi College, and now of Qjeeus s, appeared as au ln.oivent debtor, with a view to pass his first examination, it appeared that the young mau had been two years at the University, and that his debts incurred in that period exceeded his college ex- penses and au allowance of 1.50 per annum from his tatner by £ 4/3 10s. b 1. that of this sum £1673. 7a. was 10s' lu s,1Ven wine merchants, 3;, ,C> t0 fclb'ht tailors, £ 18 8s. lid. to four shoe- makers, £ 2o 4s. to two jewellers, £ 52 4s. od. to four livery stable keepers, &c. The insolvent was opposed on the ground that he had contracted these debts without rensouable expectations of being able to pay them that lie had converted some of the goods he had obtained into ready money at an alarming sacrifice," having pro- cured them for that purpose and that he had obtained possession of other articles by false representations. Council having been heard in support of these allegations Dr. Leapingwell, on the part of the insolvent, urged that the creditors were to blame for not making proper in- quiries, and that they had also displayed a great want of forethought. The father of the insolvent was a clergy- man, with a small living-vicar of Brockworth, Glo- cestershire—^nd had six other children besides the young uian now before the Court; he had, however, offered to pay 4s. in the pound. He did not justify the insolvent's conduct, but contended that no useful purpose would be gained by sending him to prison. Mr. Kay I. who ap- pear, d for 20 oi the creditors, said they asked that the young man suould be properly punished, as a warning to otuers; bat they would be willing to treat with for- bearance and respect any offer on the part of the father. After discussion, his Honour declined to name a day for making a final order in the case, or to grant the pro- tection ot the Court to the insolvent, who was afterwards anested ut the railway station. LOGS IKIED ix GUAVY.—I was tiaveliiug one day with two ladies to Melon. We left rather late in the afternoon, and reached Montgeron w ith a famous appetite. We put up at a very decent-looking inn, but, to our disappointment, were iuformed that three diligences and two post-chaises had passed, aud the travele rs had eattn up everything, like locusts from Egypt. Wc had, bow- ever, looked into the kitchen aud sa w a very mcc-luoking □■got ol mutton turning on the spit, towards which the ladies cast hungry eyes. It belonged to three traveller In the cuiiue-ioooi. W it ii a ku,li-tuigry half-(supplicating voice I esked whether he could not have some eggs filed 'J' 8ravy > with a cup of coffee it w oulu suffice. Oh certainly." The cook broke the iggs in the hipping, pan, As soon as he turned his bacii 1 maliciously irew my travelling knife and uiacie two or una- mcisious II the roast to iiliow the juice to flow more freely. 1 nen watched my eggs, anu when they were uoue Luuk them to my party. l'hey were found excellent; and we certainly had the best of the mutton.