Monmouthshire Merlin

FOREIGN MISCELLANY. Madame Rattazzi, wife of the late Italian Premier i; said to be engaged on the music and libretto of an opera which is ere long, to be performed at Florence. 1 T..e cu"re;;>o meal- of n daily pa,;er ;1. hat Eni'-ero.' of lie French i-; busy on a Life of Augus- tus" '•o"i->;e",enfi to his Life of .• u:ii:s C;esai- A "RuGliEATl.—The movement of the various divi- sions of the Russian army westward, which we noticed the other day, has been completed; and tlm Govern, menf. is now in a position to send L'00,000 men to the Turkish or Austrian frontier at a few days' notice. 45,000 men on station between Dunaburg, Polotsk, and Witebsk 20,000 at Borizov and Orza, 18,000 at Mi.i:,k, 50,000 in other parts of Lithuania, and 70,000at Tclier- iugov, Zytomir, Kiev, and Ostrog. Speaking of these warlike preparations, the Goloss says :—"Our Govern- ment may continue to circulate peaceful phrases among the public of Paris, London and Vienna, but wo know here that war is immenent. —I all Mall Gazette. MR. DICKENS AT NEW YORK—The ado about Dick- ens lias now commenced. The sale of tickets for hia first, reading's took place at the Stoiuway Hall on Wed- nesday morning, in the presence of a promiscuous but orderly crowd, some of whom, (speculators said to be) had assembled as early as seven o'clock. A body of po- lice were in the vicinity to preserve order. The appli- cants had to form a que, that first come could be first served. The sale took place under the supervision of Mr. Dickens' business manager, Mr. Dolby. The en- tire number of two thousand tickets was sold before two o'clock p.m., and many had to go away dissan- pointed. No seats were sold except for the series of four readings, and no person was allowed to buy more than six sets of tickets. This arrangement, though pro- fessedly adopted in order to prevent speculation, has had just the contrary effect. Ono specula I or is kllOWIl to have had as many as twenty men in the line, and persons who want but a single admission will have to pay his own terms. SURVIVING AN EXECUTION.—The Italian journals relate an extraordinary story. A soldier who had de- serted and taken to brigandage was captured and con- condemned to death. Being brought to the place of execution, a firing party of five performed their pain- ful duty, and the sergeant commanding them, perceiv- ing thatthe man was not dead, gavo him point blank the coup-de-grace. In the belief that this was really a finishing stroke, the body was handed over to the gravo- digger; but as the night was approaching tho lat ter postponed his office until the morning, leaving above ground what he naturally supposed to be a corpse. The unfortunate man, however, was still alive, and the cold night air, by irritating his wounds revived him. Painfully he dragged himself to the wall of the enclo- sure, against which he managed to placealadderwhich. happened to be there, got over, although bleeding and with his arm broken by the bullets, and delivered him- self up as prisoner at the nearest, guard house. The Min- isters of War and of Justice each claim this resuscitated victim of martial law, but the belief is that he will be pardoned. His wounds are not mortal, and his arm has been re-set. A STITANGE INCIDENT.—A strange incident is given in a Belgian paper, Journal de Bruxelh s. It se any that the police arrested at Antwerp some days back au Italian, who described himself as captain of a ship. He was richly dressed, wore valuabale diamond rings on his fingers, and displayed two or three massive gold watch chains. He was observed to be prowling about near the docks, where he tried to hire Italian sailors by promising taem large sums of money. Several kid accepted his offers, when, all at once, the report went about that these men were enaged for some criminal object. It was then the police arrested him. On vislc- iug his lodgings in the Rue Zirk, where he had been only eight days, they found a store of pionards, revol- vers, Orsini saolls, and papers. The owner of the house informed them that another Italian, of very small sia- ture, and in company with a lady, had beforo hired the apartment for a month, paying the re at in advance, but since then had not again appeared. The chests where the weapons were stored were taken pos- session of by the police, and every effort made to find out the hiding-piace of the lady and the other ltali LII, who were, doubt less, accomplices. UNITED STATES BONDS.—The Washington corro^- ponnent of the New York Indel)eitd, nt writes :-Tiie controversy regarding Government bonds will find a solution in this way :—In a few weeks a bill will be i » troduced into the House providing for ho issue oc a new bond, to run 1 hirty or forty years, at six per cent, interest, principal and interest, payable in coin. Cm per cent. will be reserved ill lieu of all ta .es, Gover. ment and local. It is proposed that the proceeds of this one per cent, shall lie equally divided between' lie general and the State Governments. Then all holdo s of tho present six per cents, will have the privilege of exchanging for the new bonds. It, is general y UP- lieved that the entire debt can be funded in the now bond without raising the question which seems to so interest Mr. Butler. It is at all times within the power of the Govornment to tax its own bonds; but no ill- ferior Power can do it without its consent. II is pro- posed to tax the new bond, as 1 have stated and it ia possible that the old six per cent, may also be taxol. The holders take certain great risks, and they can e chauge for a bond which has no risk whatever. This fact, it is believed will enable the Government to co i- solidate the entire debt, into a five per cent, consol. Possibly there may be an exception in the 1881 bonds, which cannot be taken up for a long term of years bilt even these can bo taxed by the same power which au- thorised their issue. THE CLLASSEPOT RLFLE.—An officer of Northern Germany, who visited the camp at Chalons, publishes in the North German Gazette the following observations on the Chassepot:—"It is now idle to ash. if this wea- pon is superior to the Prussian gun the -inestion at present is, to what extent that superiority could be in- jurious to us in case of a war with France. That de- pends on the precision with which the a"m may bo used; but the natural vivacity of t he French, and their deficiency in the patience which the Germans possess, will bo a great obstacle to the acquisition of that, per- fection. During my stay in the camp I observed that the troops who, with the exception of the Chasseurs, were all armed with the now musket, showed in its use a wantof certainly, which is besides easily understood. However, it would be madness to attempt to conceal its superiority to any other system at present known. The number of rounds which can be fired in a minute is—on the Dreyso system, 5; Snider and Joskyn 6: Milbauk, Remington, ltichler, and Chabot, 7; and for the Chassepot 8. The other qualities of this musket are Its_ weight is not great (83^ lbs. tho small bore) and, which is more important, the (light of the pro- jectile forms all exceedingly low trajectory. The latter quality, conjointly with tho facility of loadin" is es- pecially important In firing by command and at will' in one word, in every case where the mass of balls is the essential and where the musket which tires most is the best. The Chassepot is lighter, and its work is much more elegant than that of the needle gun; that is why it is iu complete accord with the views of the French soldiers; but it affords less resistance than others to long use in rainy weather." THE CYCLONE AT CALCUTTA.—A correspondent of the English Independent writes from Calcutta, Novem- ber 8th "There was rain for a day or two previous to the cyclone. The wind was high all day on Friday and by eight o'coick at night it blew so hard that wa became apprehensive of what was coming. At ten o'clock the doors and windows were very noisy. Wo went round to secure them, and put boxes and chests against the north-east windows, whence the gale was blowing. The wind gradually increased in force, and shifted steadily round to the north, and on tothe north- west, whence it blew fierce and strong, and kept us em- ployed in binding break-away doors, windows, and ve. netians. On several occasions we tried to get some sleep, but these efforts were soon arrested by fiercer gusts, fresh bolts and bars yielding, and wilder noises than ever. As the wind passed on to the west, and morning drew on, the gale slackened, and daylight, brought with it calm weather and a scene of frigh if til havoc. The Misssion House, Institution, and the students' quarters have suffered but little. I drove round Calcutta on Saturday, and have since been out in other directions. The shipping was in several places huddled together, but had not suffered much damage. The European houses did not seem quite so much injured as in I!-6-t. The Cathedral iron roof is partly blown off. The Kid- depore spire has lost several feet. Our Hastings Chapel is uninjured a few feet only of the compound wall are down. Our Union Chapel has escaped with the loss of a door or two. The Free Church has suffered a little. St. James s has lost a foot or two from each of tho spires. A temporary theatre on the plain is a'heap of i rums, and the opera-house has been much injured. Many brick houses in Die native parts of the city came down, occasioning much damage. Our village schools and chapels are in ruins. The Bow-Bazaar "Chapel is almost sideless. The new girls' school that we built six months ago at Kassia Bazan is a wall-less, roofless, framework. 1 he Raj pore girls' school has come down, and in doing so has smashed the school tables and the benches, and mined the maps. The Behala boys' school is flat, on its side. The Kaurapuker Chapel walls are standing and the roof has slipped off. The Belhnhatty Chapel is, we hear, in as bad a stab; as any. A hundred aud three bodies were taken to the Medical College Hospital on the day after the cyclone and the hospitals are full of sick and maimed. I saw one house in Bhowanipore that buried sixteen people under its rums. No estimate can yet be made of tho probable number of deaths throughout the country Many thousands must have perished. Wherever I go, or with whatsoever natives I talk, I hear of deaths. 'Bruised and broken li mbs are very numerous. I have seen and made inquiries about the rice crop. My opinion is that a fourth of the crop has been destroyed. Much of the riiu° iS y b!oss?m> aU(l ^at has suffered great damage. 1 he late rice is not much injured, and the early crop that is ready to cut has suffered but little. All looked for one of the finest harvests ever known in Bengal, And even now it will probably not be bad. (

SHOCKING ACCIDENT ON THE GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. J Between seven and eight o'clock on Saturday even- ing, an appalling accident, resulting from an appa- rently diabolical attempt to destroy life, oil the branch line of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway from Auckinleck to Muirkirk, (o the ini, (,d passenger aud goods train iu connection with 4.35 train from Glasgow. On reaching a part of the road named Welltrees, about five miles from Auchinleck, the train dashed into an old colliery lye, now in disuse, with fatal and disastrous consequences. The engine, break- ing through a wooden bridge at a short distance from the main line, was precinitafed into a small stream which connects with the river Lugar—a fall of about eight feet—dragging with it the greater portion of the train, which consisted of twelve waggons and one pas- senger carriage. The driver .lolm Hunter, sustained a triple fracture of the leg, and was severely scorched by the steam of the engine. The fireman, a young orphan lad named Blythe, was jammed between the engine and tender, and though unhurt; by the fall, lost his life by drowning—the stream being much swollen by the heavy rains. The unfortunate man lived for nearly two hours after the accident, during all which time the most strenuous efforts were made fo extricate him, but to no purpose. The scene while he became gradually—very gradually—submerged by the swelling water was painful in the highest degree. The poor man in his agony, just before the end, implored those who were trying to save him, to tear him away though his legs should bo left behind but t his could not be'done. Both men resided at Muirkirk, where Hunter has a wife a family. The passengers carriage, being at the end of the train, was not carried over into the water, and happily none of the passengers were hurt. The tender and eight of the waggons were completely smashed. It^is all but certain that tho points were held by some miscreant while the train passed into the lye, as after the accident the switch was found to be set all right for passage over the main line, and but an hour before all engine had passed down safely from Muirkirk. It is said that two men had been seen suspiciously lurking about the locality a short time before the disaster. Procurator-Fiscal Gross, of this town, has instituted a searching inquiry into the matter and on Monday the manager, engineer,and others of tho company's officials visited the scene of the accident, for the purpose of superintending the clearing away of the dean's—a work of some difficulty, a large crane which had been put in operation having accidentally fallen into the water on Sunday night, and very nearly occasioned the loss of a number of lives.—Scotsman.

CONFESSION OF MURDER. At Lambet h Police Court, on Monday, Thos. Clarke, aged 27, a labourer, living at 55, Tyer-street, Larnbei 11, was charged, upon his own confession, with wilfully causing the death of Annie Smith, aged ton weeks, by strangling her with a cord.—George Moore, 195 L 'said he was on duty on Sunday night in the Waterloo road, when the prisoner came up and said, "Do you want a job ?" and he replied that it all depended upon what it was. The prisoner said, "I shall give myself up to you for murdering my child, at-55, Tyer-street; I strangled it." Witness told the prisoner he must con- sider himself in custody, and ho replied "Very well." Witness then took him to Tower-street police station, where the acting inspector asked him what he had done, when the prisoner again said, "I have strangled a child at 55, Tyer-street," The witness then procepded to 55, Tyer-street, where ho saw tho child dead in her mother's arms. The deceased was about 10 weeks old. On examining the neck ho found a mark as though a cord had been tightly tied round it. Police-consiabic Mullins, 12b L, stated that when the prisoner was charged he said, in answer to the inspector, "I strangled the child, not with a cord, but with my fingers." ü 011 the way to the Kennington Lane police station the prisoner said, I hope she has not done anything to herself (meaning the mother of the child). I am afraid she has, for when I went back at half-past, six o'clock I found the door locked." Witness asked of whom he was speaking, when he reidied, Eliza Smith, the child's mother I left her asleep at half-past 5 o'clock. She had bceuasloc') about 20 minules when T strangled thechi'.d with my fingers, and 1 hope it is dead. I have boo;: out of work ten weeks." The prisoner interrunting said, No, you made a mistake, I said eight weeks. Tho wit- ness continued to state! hat prisoner said, "During the time I have been out of work we have been obliged to *ell nearly everything for food, and when we got, up this morning there was no breakfast, and all we had to-day Was a piece of dry bread, and there is HOW none left." The witness further stated that lie went to the house, 55, Tyer-street,, where in tho back room he found KUza Smith with the dead body of her child in lie,' arms Police-constable, 145 L, was there at that time,d tinned to him me piece of cord (produced), which '>e said the mother had removed from around the cliiiu'd neok. Witness examined the child's neck, and found marks such as would be produced by a cord bein" tightly tied around it. Mr. Richards, a surgeon, was called in, who announced the child to have been dead some hours. Eliza Smith said she had for some months cohabited with the prisoner at No. 5\ Tyer-street. The deceased child was hers, but the prisoner i, zL, not the father of it. It was nearly ten weeks old. On Sundav about dusk she laid down to sleep, leavin" the prisoner to nnrse the child, which ho consented^ do She awoke in about half an hour by hearing the street daor shut very violently. On looking about her she found the prisoner had gone out, leaving the deceased child by her side. She had thon lifted tlm child up to give it the breast, when she found it to be ouite dead Around the neck was a piece of cord tied very tightly She went to the house occupied by prisoner's father, and found ho had been there a short time before. In reply to Mr. Elliott, the witness said they were, in spite of the poverty surrounding them, very hapny togel her iiiey never had words, and he was always very kind both to herseif and the child. On Sunday he anpeare d perfectly calm, although in very low spirits. They had had scarcely a thing in their room, and no bed to He on or any clothing to cover them. Mr. Samuel Atkinson Kiehards, a surgeon, residing at 15-3, Upper Kenning- ton Lane, said he was called to the hon e 55 Tyer-street about half-past, eight o'clock on Sunday night whero li«-ahire tv CveaiSedi ^°ut the neck was a "'ark of a ligature, which had evidently been very tightly i ied. The mouth was slightly open, and the tonguediscolour- ed, the pupil of the eyes dilated, showing with other appearances, that, death had been the result ofstrangu- Q tlle clli|d appeared to be very healthy. Eliza smith, recalled, said, in answer to the magistrate, that she removed the cord. She did not remember bavin" seen such a piece of cord before. Prisoner: You know it very well; it's the piece of cord I had fastened to my pocket-knife look again, yon'JI know it. Mr. JIoggis, the coroner's officer, here informed the magistrate that an order had been given for a post-mortem examina- tion of the body prior to the inquest being held. The prisoner, in answer to the magistrate, said, "I have nothing at all to say." He was remanded.

FACETIAE. The right place for a clwvr.—The Cathedral at Rheimg.) THE RIGHT BAND FOR A WEDDING PARTY.—a mis-band. Why are good husbands like dough?—Because women need them. Why is a doll like jelly ?—Because it is made with eyesmglass. When is a sailor most like a thief ?—When he takes a messmates' watoh. n A. SoVEI^IGN REMEDY FOR TIIE STRAY rNG OF BATTLE.—A pound. ^LtLESS MISERY."—Having a cigar, and yet nothing to light it with. ho. What should a man do when his boot sieakF—Take to his pumps, of course. gentleman whose lips pressed a lady's "snowy brow did not catch cold. hr>n ^ACT"—difficult to make the pot boil with the fire of genius. How can one be sure of cowslips in the winter ?—Bv anying his cattle on the ice. Why are railroad accidents like irregular suppers "— Because they are casual-teas. The most difficult thing in the world is-to find out the most difficult thing in the world. A dull day and an empty pocket, and being in love, affect a man's spirits most seriously. Da IES; Ono ought to have dates at one's fingers' ends, seeing they grow upon the palm. When does a severe cold resemble a brilliant idea ?- When it comes into one's head suddenly. The storms of adversity are wholesome, though, like snow-storms, their dnfts are not always seen. We rather think that the most reluctant slave to vice in one ever saw was a poor fellow who had his fibers III olle. lle who travels through life in the hope of jumping cn-and another mostly goes upon a "Who is that with Miss Flint?" said a wa- to his companion.Oh, that is a spark which she has Ho who sets up a carriage at tho suggestion of his vanity generally sets it down at the suggestion of his creditors. BENEVOLENCE.—A very benevolent old lady has takea the idea into her head of knitting a pair of hose for a fire engine. What is that word in the English language, of one syllable, whicn, if two lecters be taken from it, becomes a word of two syllables?—l-c.s>u. JLlQUTl.)AloitS. Why must the persons anointed to wind up joiut-stock companies liivunjiljly be teerotal- icrs ?—Because they are liquid-haUrs. A Young Fop about starting for Now Orleans, pro- posed to purchase a life-belt. Oh, you'll not waut n suggested the clerk bags of wind won't sink." StEAM-COOKlXG.—An excellent old lady says the only way to prevent steamboat explosions is to make the engineers bile their water ashore. In her opin- ion, all the bustin' is caused by cooking the steam on board. THICK AND LONG. Why, man," said a bothering counsel to a sailor witness, you don't seem to know the distinction between thick and long." "Don't I though! — Explain it then." Weli, you're plaguy tmck-neaded, but you am t long-headed, lIO huw," sa;d Jack. Uncertainly ASCERTAINED.—A pappr, referring to the mysterious disappearance of a young female from the home of her adopted parents, says, "It, has since been uncertainly ascertained that she was committed to the orphan asylum; but her anxious guardians know nothing about it. THE REASON WHY.—"According to Milton, Eve kept silence ill hdeu to hear her husband talk," said a geid lemau to a iady. friend, and t hPil added, in a melan- èbuiy tone, "Alas there have been no Eves since. Because there have beon no husbands worth listening to," was the quick retort. ° A Californian editor, speaking of the complaints by his readers tnat he don t uublishall the local items they desire to see, jnstly observes iliat it is often their own fault, in not sending tne facts. lie says he don't like to publish a marriage after the honeymoon is over or the death of a man after his widow is married again. BRINGING IN AND TAKING UP.—it was once ob- served to Lord Paimerston that a certain M.P., always in debt, intended to bring in a bill.—" Let him' cried tho premier: "but it, would do him more credit, and prove moro satisfactory to certain parties, if he were to take up one." A SJGHT TO SEE.—A new club is about to be estab- lished under the title of "M. M. The new club is in- tended for the e-rclusive use of mm of mind and hence it has been modestly christened rhe M.' M." The promoters will doubtless publish the names of the first batch of men of mind. OrEX OYSTERS.—" As to opening oysters," said Old Hurricane, why nothing easier, if you only knolY hu..r r Aud how's how ?" inquired Straight. — Scotch snuff! answered old Hurricane, very seu- teutiously, "Scotch snuff. Bring a little of it ever so near their noses, they'll sneeze their lids off." PERHAPS HE WOULD HAVE niNE IT BETTER.—An hdinburgliclergyma.il, of a rare and (ill.aiiii was one day seen gazing at the Carlisle mail, as it came thundering down the bridges.— What are yon think- ing of?" said a reverend brother.—" I'm thinkin' tha' next to preachiu the everlastin' gospel, I would like to drive 1 ho mail/' TOTAL DEPRAVITY.—Deacon Brown lately took oc- casion to administer a reproof to old .Toe for swearing Joe listened attentively to his words, seemed to appre- ciate the exhortation, and when he had concluded re- plied as follows, The fact is, deacon, thatl may swear a great deal, and you may pray a groat deal, but neither of us mean anything byit." The deacon alludes to Joe as all instance of total depravity. GOOD WINE NEEDS NO BUSH.-A gentleman gave a friend some first-rate wine, which he tasted and drank making no remark upon it. The owner, distrusted at. his friends want of appreciation, next, offered some strong, but inferior wine, which the truest had no sooner tasted than he exclaimed that it was excellent wine — But you said no. hing of the first," remarked his host. Oil," replied the guest; the first spoke for itself: tno second needed a trumpeter." A FRANK DOCTOR.—The celebrated German phy- sician, llufeland, on being presented to a reio-nin" prince of one of the small states of the German^Coi^ federation, thatexatted personage, in the fci,voilr of his admiration of Hufeland's great, professional skill, said to iiim, on are so famed a physician, you know the human body so intimately, that you must really be able to cure every disease !"—" Y'our highness," re- plied Hufcland, it is with us physicians as wit 11 the 1 nighf watchmen we know the leading streetsand bye- j ways tolerably well; but as to what is going on inside the houses, we can only miess at that." f How TO TACKLE A CABMAN.—A young man from f the country," on coming to town, took a cab at the sta- tion upon reaclling the hotel he alighted, and asked 1 the fare. "Five shillings," said Jehu.1 "Where is I your number?" inquired the gentleman. "Four shil. lings," said tho cabman. Here are four shillings. Where is your number ?"—" Three shillings," said the i fellow, sulkily. Here are throe. Now, your number, i sh'—" Two shillings little 'nuff, too," rejoined tho 1 driver. Two, then here they are. Where is your j number f"—One shilling, cap'n—one '11 do," replied f whip. "Here is your shilling," said the young man, f civiJly; "all you are eutitJed to. No consequence as 1 to your ticket now. Good morning." I UNEORTLINATEQUESTIONS.—" Can you tell me, sir" ti said a stranger to a gentleman in a ball-room, who I that lady is near the second window — that very vain- looking Lady r"—"Thatisniy sister, sir,n replied the t person addressed^, with aformidable look.—"No, no, I v don't, mean her," said the unfortunate interrogator. r*'I moan that ugaly woman leaning against tbe piano, There's about as much expression In her face as in a < brickwall. '—" That sir, is my wife."—"No, no, groan- « edthc miserable stranger, the perspiration starting t from every ^ore. Good gracious I wish Icould make you understand meI mean t hat blear-eyed object in r the pink silk, the one so awfully homely—1 should be f afraid she would splinter a looking glass just by lookina into it. There, she is looking at us." — That, sir," r said the gentleman with fierce calmess "is my eldesl j daughter."—The stranger darted from the room, and cleared the premises, as though he had been struck ? with a presentiment that a powder magazine was going 1 to explode in that room in less than three seconds. OILING A VENTRILOQUIST—A gentleman going, down the river on a steamer the engine of which was 1 upon the deck, sauntered fo see the working of the A machinery. Near him stood a mau apparently bent c upon the same object. In a few moments a squeakinf I noise was heard on the opposite side of the oil-,in,- t Seizing the oil can-a gigantic one, by the wav^-the T engineers sought out the dry snot, and to prevent c further noise 01 that kind, liberally applied the con- a tents of the can to every joint. All went on well for a n while, when the squeaking was heard in another direc- c tion. The oiling process was repeated and quiet re- s stored; but as the engineer was coming quietly to- s wards the spot occupied by the gentleman and the p stranger he heard another snueak. This time he de- a tected the true cause of the difficulty. Tho stranger was a ventriloquist. Walking straight up behind him. a he seized t he astonis-' el joker by the nave f (lie neck, t and emptied the contents of tlie can down his back, b "There!" said he "I don't believe that old engine e will squeak again." SeNRISE .A.XD SuxSET-Sunset and sunrise, wrrn W colours aud beautiful effects, are fami- £ f/,r "lani' '*ho are not aware that no satis- S w v aT,a nWn °f t,heae phenomena has yet been made out, though many a natural phi]0e0T,he' V..• ~+. temped a solution of il,e i neresiing qnes,ion. i 'v savant, has recendy published t ■ftL ou optical observations, in which •'n t'lov i,°f da -lcd £ lass screens on the light, wnicu. is enfeoi?r^i'p' J31™11™01"noted- Tl|e white light. li<'ht wlwl^5 auilo°ks slightly red, and the diffracted limrn accompanies it appears redder, ai d the more llumerous the screens, the deeper will be the throiiu-l'i sunrise and sunset, the light passes minute nartirir01' ^h'a,ta of t;be atmosphere, in" which and fheJe rm<i various kinds arc fioaiing, the above uiemT pu^°8e of *he sc reens used fu place throu^h i Inn experiments. Diffraction takes one assj^m ui iutor s.eries particles, and as each is that" so off en ^rlQ» *he other the general effect the atmosphere occasioned the [>- Lommel states that when tho Sng OT settim di8Clik0 thG the hcu-i^on" BV'-CW Partlclfs. suspended in the atmosphere arc Bin,iCie.it TO explain this coloration. A. similar an pearance, he remarks, is exhibited by the sun also ii the presence of a thick yellowish vapour, even when it; is high in the heavens (a London fog, for instance) 1 nc red colour loo, which, according to travellers* statements, the sun exhibits when the simoon has raised the sand of the desert, belongs to this cate-'orv t!, ambers Journal. •" .IAT,L nIRDS IN W^TTER--We see the foot-prints ot the little robin in the snow, and where if lies deep the long-eared hare betrays her hiding-place bv the deep1 indentments she makes in the feathery flakes. 1 he half-starved field-fares huddle togef her in t he naked for warmth while the owl, rolling himself up tl o j?! i i Vi" hlf feather8> creeps as far a- no can into 1 -HP LIT *^ree' t0 g6t OUt of the cokL i h*t lively h rds th °W ithe water-wagtail—the smallest of our f c^ T11?tay 11CW be peen recking about the r i v £ .0 md ttat arc unfrozen in moi-t place- though what he finds to feed upon there unless b be •W.wajMfrt, is 4Hfc.it loaseer;ai□. y a shy bird, but seldom seen at anv other season 25 tssrr habiMi»i»»' S; s artlTbv fhe8^\ nP Gnlerin^ a» outhouse, we am escai S bv^he^n °VV1DRS' M the T-retty intruder escapes Py the open doorway we are enteriic- WA bMs eom?r, t°Wi'-dUri^ a l011!? and s-evCTe the and want offnr^l /Ve' li many Pensh through cold thi are^?rW T J0W"' throu-h number tl.ac aie pickeu up dead and frozen, though a <Teat number are eaten by the animals that nrey ul eS I11? '!iey IM- Mmy nick „„ insert,T S mant state from out the stems of decayed trees old aud ^thov n?0 liatcned roofs °f cottages and outhouses; aud they also forage among furze-bushes the under I Sh'r"°I1 Which' beiil? fomi a wm seen on T."rCo mST,S /hc PntUs> ^ich may be 0 ,1 y gleam of sunshine. Wood-pigeons Z t ft"8 °f ^rnips, and devour other I tiornon of winter-greens. Larks and and makp I't& ln Ul° autumn-sown cornfields, the thSl am,01'S lhp seed" °rher birds 'ear able to'fW °?,C0!°tacks>eat until they are hardly able to flj One thing we must consider, birds require less food during rhese short dark days than I I-iev do at -°f th^ JTear' as the>' are asleep more than double the time they pass in slumber in summer nor when awake do they exert themselves so much on the wing as during the long days. It is an interesting fact, as showing the care of the groat Creator for His cieatures, fha* t he berries of the misletoe only ripen 11; srri! hi1:: heps and haws and the berries ofhollv and ivy have disappeared. 'Tims in a prolonged winter many birds are kent from starvin- Ly means of the ^Fehrn' T ^0' fecd °" til] about, the end Dome Z J °r 111 Englishwoman' y JJome^tic jJagazme. JJome^tic jJagazme. BAISTXS AXD CtTRRAXTS.—The numerous varieties So^The^ffSi1'3h-pr°fUCP/heIario"8 wines of commerce are tiie cffects simply of different degrees of clima+e and soil. Thus we find thar different districts nrodace ofV'n eir° -re-0r c?s.\alned for the abundance or richness ^iU,Cei r 1 ^°.smaHer berries are generally the however f°r 1,s Purpose. In some districts, -i I -e ?'r<co ts quite unfit for wine making, 1 t Inar--hen?ned and form the raisins of our shops. All raising, then, whether they be Muscatels whatever variety, are in rcali,v true g^raneg, diffenn^ from the wine prare? ojily in size, or ttie absence of the juicy principle which to a consi'de- raole.extent develops into flesh or puln. 'The best raisins arc grown on the Spanish shores of f he Medit- erranean, the climate about Valencia and Malaga ap- parently suiting them better than anywhere else. But raisins are also extensively cultivated in the lower r>ar?g of Greece, as well as in other narts of the Continent. I he Muscatel is the finest kind of raisin imported. The preparation or drying, upon which the value of the fruit toa great extent depends, is in its case conduced different]- from that of the more common kinds. LsualJy -ic grancs are gathered in bunches when fully ripe, and hung up orspread out to drv. These are after- wards pjaced in vessels full of hole-, and dipned in a ;yn made of wood ashes and vanilla, with ,e nhditio i of'a Ji'.t .e salr and oil. 'This brings thesaccharine juice to the surface, and causes the dark brown colour as well as the crystallisation of sugar which ig so cliarac' eristic of the varieties are sim .lvdneu in the eun before removal from the tree. Thefrui. is carefully i! at the I-'ror>er stage, of ripeness the i tV L, .!11! r7"ir'lv c": throughand allort'- hinr> I -r^' -ftnt.Sby tin's means retaining fi alight colonr hen dry. Aivouirpt ma.iv ^nof,es of raisins known iu commerce are lacifTia\P?Ua5'' ar.d Lovia<i from and liali- i'~ 1 1 3Lra. ia Granada. All these varieties of !'o!Larn tM* country in what a- e com- cill(,d boxes and half boxes of half a hun- wplg' Sr°ss. lhe small li-ht-coloured raisins Ave receive from SmjTna, and. as everybody k ows, these aredevuidof "st-ones," or more properly seeds. This seeding form has lieen brought aijout by a higher state pf cultivation, and usually fete-ics a higher price ir, i he market. A common cheap fruit is also imported from Smyrna, quite the reverse of the little Sultana, being of a very dark colour, and having very lar<-o ooedg. The little binok fruits which in a culinary sense are of so much value, and which common, psace and the corruption aw onl has taught ns to call currants, are likewise »small seedle-s variety of grane. The word curra.it is derived from Corinth, m Iiieli was originally the principal lilace of its cultiva- tion. If the ancient Corinth no longer supplies us with the bu;k of this most useful frpit, the whole of our im- ports are still brought, from the numerous islands of the Archinelago and the noighbouring shores of Asia M iuor.— flood IFords. 1 ^TKRART-AxA. — IVr. Charles Dickens's favourife time for composition is said to lie in the morn MI when he writes till about one or two o'clock, then he has his luncheon, and wruks out for two hours, rp^n-ns to din- tier, and either goes out or spends the evenin"- at his 3wn fireside. Sometimes his merhod of labour is much more lutein aud unremitting. Of his delightful Christ- mas book, The Chimes," the airttmr an vs. in a letter ,o a triend, that he shut himself up for a month, close ind t !ght over it. All nty »<fectioi:s and my passions rot twined and knotted un in it, and I became as hag- rarcl as a murderer Icmg before I wrote "The End: Whe" i lwJ done 1'laf'- 'Tb^Man of Thessaly,* ffho, ,iavin^ scratched his eyes our in a quickset hedg-et bunged into a bramble bush toscratch them in again,' fled to Venice to recover the eonmosure I had dis'- :urbed. Wljen his imagination begins to outline a new novel, with rague thoughts rife within him, he ;oes wandering about at night into the strangest of req ilaccs," lIe says, seeking for rest and finding none." Lord Lvtton (Buhver) accomplishes his voluminous, iioductions in about three hours a dav; usually from ",1 till one, and seldom later, writing ad with his own land. Composition was at first Jahorion" TO him, but. icgave himself sedulouslytomaeter itsdiffieulfies'- and s said to have re-written some of his briefer produc- 10ns f'^m. or nine times before publication. He writes r('ry rapidly, averaging, it is said, twenty octavo pages day. He says of himself, in a letter friend: 1 hterarize away the morning. r',i> at three, go to 'if a' "v0- <-llli0 fi' six, and ge' throua'h the evening m is I best may, sometimes by c- recting a proof." The ol lowing account of (he ;ate Douglas ,T«rrold's method m writing" was sketched during his lifetime ty a friend who knew hipt well :-At eight o'clock he ireakfasts, then reads he papers, cutting out bits of lews. The stndy is a snug room, filled with books and uctures its fnrnipjre is of solid oak. There work logins. If it he comedy he will now and then walk apidly up and down *hp room, talking wildly to him- elf, and laivra}ng as he hits upon a good point. Sud- lonly the nWi wiflbe pnt down, and through a little ionservnt ory, without seeing anybody, lie will pass out n(° t ho garden for a little while, talking to the gar- 11:"1"1"" or walking. In again, and towork. The thought come; and in letters smaller than the type in hich they shall beset.it. is unrolled along the )i(tle jlue slips of paper. A crust of bread and a glass of Tine are brought in, but no word is spoken. The work roes rapidly forward, and halts at /ast suddenly. 'The >en is dashed aside, a few letters, seldom more than bree lines in each, are written and despatched to tho ,ost, and then again into the garden, visits to the horse, ow, and fowls, then another long turn around the lawn, nd at last a seat with a quaint old volume in the tent. aider the mulberry-tree. Friends come—walks and ouversafion. A very simple dinner at four. Then a hort. nap—forty wiIlks-upon the p-reat sofa in the tudy; another long stroll over the lawn while tea i,,4 repared. Over the tea-table are jokes of all kinds, as t dinner. Tii the later years of his life.Terrold seldom irote after dinner; and his evenings wee usually spent lone in his study, reading, writing leners, Ac. Some- imes he would join the family circle fur lia if.'an-honr efoie going to bed at teu; but his rule was*solitary venmg in tbe study with his books.—Ludief Treasury.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having arrived homo on Saturday afternoon from a visit to the Earl and Countess of Dudley, the day being the sixth anniversary of the Prince Consort's death, the usual private service took place in the presence of the Priuce and Princess of Wales. THE CHAHOE AGAINST SIR CULLING EAKDI.KY — At^!10 <?e/'1ral Cnminal Court, on Monday, in the case bll> Culling Eardley, charged with committing bi"- rfV f"'?1 W'Hiams aoplied for a posiponS- O l i /!a ui next eess]on, Oil the ground t hat iipp ienMffic'-P,lt time to Prel>are the de- fence, the dofendant having only been taken into cus- tody on Monday last and committed on the Tuesday xollowing.-Mr. Giffard, Q.C., who appeared on be half ot the prosecution, said he did not at all opnose tne application, and the Recorder accordingly allowed olinwlTn'Z! t' f°Ver aS r('|'j"est°d.— His Lordshh, de- danttobaT U ap[ tl°" to admit tho defen- At, the Southwark Police Court, on Saturday Mrs p,y lhe Wlf(' of a tradesman, was' com- mit ed for trial for attempting to murder an old womau named Mary Cattermole. The offence was commS as tar back as the 1st of November. Mrs. Mellor had shown symptoms of insanity, and Mrs. Cattermole was employed to look after her. On the morning of theIst of November Mrs. Cattermole was making a fire when Mrs Mellor came behind her and ondeavou-ed 'to cat her throat with a razor. Severe wouuds were inflicted • so severe indeed, that Mrs. Catterniole has onlt recovered from them. There seems to be little do bt of Mrs. Mellor s insanity. ° bt A DISGRACEFUL iMPOSTURE.-AttheNew Bailev on Monday, a young man named William Handsworth Vater-street, Manchester, was charged with obtaining several sums of money by false pretences. Polico- ofheer Dark saw the prisoner enter several houses al Crnmpsall on Saturday night, and was induced to ask ins business, i he prisoner said he was collecting sub- scriptions for the widow and orphans of the late"' Ser geant Brett, and he product what purported to be an authorisation from the Rev. Mr Wil inns mil roaJ." He had „l;,ai„ed hnl^a-crott^i from Mrl ptroyd Limeticld House, and (ho book contained ao- K owtedgmentsof sums amounting to about 30s. The othcei did not believe the story, and he took the pri- soner to the police-office, where he admilted that he was an impostor.—The prisoner, who said he was a native of Loudon admitted to the mag-istrates that be ITo qnilt 1 Offence with which he was chared ■ wereevtenuafnig circumstances irTthe case inasmuch as he had been refused relief at the If oil Unions—Sergeant Archer said t he prisoner answered the description of a man who had carried on FonV'^lUTP*iem °ffrand in 1''dme and Old J raT L liu llatTr('pi'e?onteJ at several houses that tele- grams or letters of importance were lying m ,h0 eit„ nnm. iCttOOOUpi.eri °f the house> a,ll] "ould be delivered Sad tn dZ a T?'1511 chW which howas an,hor- demand.—lhe magistrate (Mr. O. Hey wood) iummarilx committed the prisoner for three months/