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A CRIME IN AN OMNIBUS.
[ALL MOBTS RBSBRVED.] A CRIME IN AN OMNIBUS. A STORY OF PARISIAN LIFE. r DY FORTUNE DU BOISGOBEY Translated from the French- CHAPTER IV. 1 "My dear fellow," he began, as soon as she had disappeared, I have made more discoveries in one day than the most illustrious navigators have ever made in a century, and the last is the most curious of them alL I have just ascertained that this lis tie goat-herd, transplanted from the mountains, is madly in love with you. She cried because she thought the pin in your pocket had been forgotten ty your mistress. She is jealous; therefore she adores you. Refute my reasoning if you dare, and if you can." I will refute nothing at all, but I declarc if you go OIL much longer we shall quarrel." But I say, where does it come from, this spit, that might be served up with a franc's worth of kidneys in any restaurant ? Is it a keepsake from the woman you love ?" Binos, my friend, you are unreasonable, and I would not answer you at all but that one must take pity on fools. I do not mind telling you that I found this pin last night in the omnibus, and that I kept it as a souvenir. Most likely it fastened the hat of the poor girl who died on the road." What; Is it so? But this is an ornament in use among cooks out on a Sunday, and I tell yon that the lovely creature at this moment stretched on a^slab at the Morgue, never trudg-e1. with a market basket. I should think it more likely to have been dropped in the omnibus by cne of her neighbours'" Then I will make you a. present of it," said Freneuse. I accept it," cried Binos. It may form cir- cumstantial evidence. Sometimes the slightest thing, no matter what, suffices to convict an assassin. A mere nothing a paper, a sleevelink dropped on the scene of the crime. In a melodrama that sort of thing is called the finger of Providence." t There you are, off again." "Chaff as much as you like; an idea has just struck me, and I am going to try an experiment an under your very nose. Where is Mirza ? Come here, Mirza I Mi mi! mi! called Binos in caress- ing tones. What are you going to do to the cat ? I must beg you not to torment him." Mirza, nllured by Binos' manner, advanced towards him slowly and composedly, as becomes a cat that has a good opinion -of itself. Do not go to him, Mirza," said Frencuse. "That ypung gentleman is mocking you; he has nothing to give. M I have not Drought him any cat's meat, certainly," grumbled Binos. "I don't pretend to keep my neighbour's cats; but I may be allowed to stroke them. Mirza is a distinguished personage: he likes me for mv own sake. Do ullow him to show his affection." So, keeping up a running fire of talk to divert "hia frien l's attention, the mischievous scoundrel seated himself on a siool and held out a treacherous hand to the confiding Angora approaching hinV with Measured steps. Freneuse, although h8 was watching Binos' move- ments, had not noticed that he held the gilt pin inhis hand so well was it concealed that only the pi oin ■came beyond the end of his thumb—a point as sharp as a needle. Mir-a saw it; but he was curious and fond of ?'unties—common faults with cat-sin high life—and drew near to _smell at what his master's familiar ^nend was offering him. His nose came in contact with the instrument, Dinos seized the moment to prick the poor beast, ^hich made a su Iden rearward movement. Its head back, its long silky hair bristled up, its back became arched, its legs stiffened, its jaws fell apart, t\nd its ejes were fixed; but it neither moved nor £ r,od; a sudden convulsive trembling passed over its *?°dy, and in twenty or thirty seconds it dropped dead and rigid. What have you done ?" cried Freneuse, rushing forward to raise his unfortunate pet; but he had no "sooner touched it than he saw it was dead. Yes, Mirza has died like the girl in the us'' obspryedBinos composedly. TV°^ have killed him," retorted the artist angrily. -This is beyond everything. Leave the room, and never let me see you here again." You drive me away ?" "Yes, and you richly deserve it, for you injure **111 care for. You have not been here half-an- hour, and have done nothing but mischief. You Sent Pia off in tears, and there was nothing left for you but to kill a poor animal that was the joy of my ttudio. On my honour, if you were not three parts of a fool I would not merely shut my door upon you, but demand satisfaction for your odious conduct." I. "That would be odd," sneered BinoB-cc exces- lvely odd! Call me out, and give me the pleasure a nice sword-thrust because I saved your life *»ell, that beats all!" Saved my life What are you talking about?" €( Just that, my friend neither more nor less." I should like to know how. Do you mean to Tt cat was mad ?" • Ko, Mijza was a healthy Angora, and, if ever sinned—as, for Instance, in tearing my trousers 0 sharpen his claws, his death absolves him; he ftas died to save his master, and in order that a gttat crime may not go unpunished." Ct Have done with your nonsense!" Will you hear me before you turn me out ? I 081c only ten minutes to prove that if I had not had inspiration of genius, something dreadful must come upon you." ■ Yery well. Ten minutes, and then-" Then you shall do what you like. So shall I. *ou see this pin ?" es> and if I had known you were going to put • through my cat's heart „ have not looked at him. There is not a drop Of blood on all his white fur. I scarcely pricked his «ose, and he fell stiff and stark." j! E? you not begin to understand now what took Place in the omnibus last night ? «< *° understand ? "What do you mean ? j The poor girl who is at the Morgue was killed st as I have killed Mirza, only they pricked her in With this pin ? Good Heavens! Yes, of course That was quite nough, and 'her agony lasted no longer than the Poor brute's here, and was as silent." What ? Then the pin is v Poisoned, my dear sir, and you carried it in keUr, 6Tcat coat pocket. In feeling for your hand- aR.r«^n °r y°ur tobacco-pouch, your fingers would tifTr kave encountered the point of this beau- 111 little tool, and at the coming Salon there would eon one picture and one medal less. It is a miracle •t L am alive," continued Binos. If 1 had taken hold of the point instead of the gilt knob at the:'other end, I should at Jthis moment have been stretched out on the floor of your studio, and you "Vvould only have had to bury me. My death would be no great disaster; art would not lose much by it; out still I prefer that the accident should happen to your cat instead." "¡And so do I," answered Freneuse, who was so uch moved he scarcely knew what he did or said. fo "^ank you for that kind word," said the good- ^-nothing, making a grimace. I perceive you j^ £ Ve n° longer a spite against me for saving your r •e' and I congratulate you sincerely on having "Will little instrument in the vehicle. It u me ™ finding out those who usedfit." ««r,18 'ncT-cdible A pin charged with death! u The fact is evident." AI But these instantaneous poisons -that sort of lng only exists in novels or in melodramas." And among -savages, my dear friend. They Prison the tips of their arrows when they hunt or s to war, and all wounds inflicted by these arrows aortal-it is well known," K Xh> ^es" ^ave read that, but th the poison they employ is known also; it is curar'> said to be made from the venom of the uJv811^-6' anf^ when dried it can be kept for any rv6' See here look at this little bit of Vw;IT^h' 9°vering|the end of the pin. dftJV i 1 ° „emical production which would destroy a whole regimentjof Prussians in less than £ ve minutes ..1 always regretted that our oayonets in the siege "Do be serious. This is no subject for jesting should your supposition be correct. ,4 Can you still be in doubt ? To convince yourself You have only to examine Ajirxa. He was perfectly ^.U; the slightest possible prick sufficed to extin- guish his life, and you saw that he died noiselessly. "ere was scarce! r any preceptible trembling—one stant of rigiditj*, then he dropped and all was over. e?y ^ie sccnG of the omnibus." H'L Quite true. She gave but one feeble cry, then grew stiff." 111'1 And her head sank on to her neighbour's Otilder. She moved no more-the deed was done!" 1:11 I You mean to say the wretch who 'sat on her lfit j have Stay. I will dpscribe the'whole affair. YoucaE 1116 ou^ yGU l;^e when I have finished." J0 reneuse made a gesture showing that he no hai^er thought of expelling his friend, and that he forgiven him the murder of Mir/a." he TWs instrument," began Binos, <!must have 1 PrePared and brought by the man who mounted ^0"wr"+ roof. A woman would not have known Woijij0 manipulate the poison, and also, probably, have dared. Just examine it. It is diffi- •: to imagine anything more ingeniously contrived. ran no^' t? a11 i,Prr'aTance a hat pin—an the i.0ent looking article an l had it been seized in ha.,r ^*nds of the wret h who used it, no one would hn0i. -^eii it for what it is. At one end there is a bein that one can press hard upon it without Urt! it is short enough to be hidden in thic.i' y^t suflScientlv long and sharp to penetrate the V'ctim garmen-. though, as it? happens, the little Scarp?] ^'as ]'n a mi.&erav.lo dress of worn material that »?olYj y prote- te l her better than a cobweb. In a had been foreseen by this man who f scoundrel of fhe first order nd the woman k to carry onfc the plot." Why ? Was the brute too cowardly to do it nimself r" No, but he calculated that the Tfoman would attract less attention among the other passengers. They would have thought it odd for a girl to rest her head on a strange man's shoulder, but a woman's shoulder was a different matter." Then he guessed she would sink like that?" Certainly, my dear fellow. The effect of curari is as well known as that of arsenic. Hundreds of experiments have been tried with it at the College de France. The creature that is pricked stops short, leans to one side or the other, and falls if no one is by to offer support. The plan then was to support the dead girl until an opportunity should occur for slipping away from her without danger. It would have been impossible to leave her at once; she would have fallen headlong, a scene would have ensued, and the murderess would have found herself in an awkward predicament." Then you think the man kept her place for her in the omnibus ?" I not only think so, I am sure of it." Were you in the omnibus before him ? Did you Bee him get in ?" "I was one ofJhe firstpassengers to arrive. The girl was already there and I had scarcely seated myself opposite to her, when the man got in." "Ah, of course; and he settled himself beside her Yes, although he could have sate'sewhere. For an instant I almost thought he knew her, but 1 soon canv they did not speak to each other." "Well the villain managed this; he watched her come to the station, and his accomplice, who had her orders, kept a little further off." "You think they knew the girl would take that Omnibus;" Probably; but how they knew, is a point I can only clear up when I have traced the wretches," t Then you. do hope to trace them ?" "Parblcu Yes. I tell you the man only got in BO as to occupy the seat next the girl. His accom- plice waited till the omnibus was full; then they played the:r little pre concerted comedy the woman was in despair at not being able to go the man gallantly offered her his place, and I bet you she hesitated to accei t it ?" Yes, at first for form's sake. A few compli- ments passed before &he climbed in-- She even accepted his aid, and put her hand in his—a pretty hand, I swear, and neatly gloved. I fancy she left it longer in his clasp than was necessary." Good! Iam satisfied." You mean that proves they understood each other ? Well it is very likely." It is certain especially as they left the omnibus almost at the same moment. The man got down at Rue-de-Ia-Tour-d'Am-ergne, and the woman at the Eue de Laval. But the hand shaking proves one thing more, my friend." t" What r" I The man also had gloves, had he not ?" Ye?, thick gloves lined with fur. He must have bought them in some English shop. I remember thinking so as I remarked the circumstance." You might well, for those gloves are dear, and you say the man did not look opulent." Not so very poor, neither." "K eYer mind. He wore those gloves for fear of getting pricked." W ny P' "Because he held the pin. stupid, and he passed it on to the woman in pretending to press her hand. They both know the least scratch would be fatal." Then, according to your notion, the woman re- ceived the pin and used It ?" Yes, and very skilfully, as no one noticed any- thing-. She waited for an opportunity, and it came near the Pont Neuf. There was a jolt. She was thrown against her neighbour, who seized the moment to prick her in the arm." "True," murmured Freneuse; "all these facts appear to follow naturally, or else you have the knack of stringing them together." It is no knack it is reasoning." Then just exp'ain how this horrible woman came to forget her poisoned pin." You may depend she did not forget it. The pin must have si pped out of her hand, and she dared not stoop to pick it up--first for fear of pricking her- self; and, secondly, because she had to support her victim. When it was time to get down she longed to escape, and went off as they say without asking for her change." ° But she must have foreseen that this tangible proof of her guilt would be found." Pah! She hoped the man who swept out the omnibus would throw it away—she did not care for consequences. What did it [matter to her if the pin killed half a dozen other people ? A fiend of that dye does not stick at a death more or less." The fact is, the woman is a monster to kill a poor child she did not know; to commit a murder in cold blood without provocation What! cried Binos. You fancy she killed her for the pleasure of killing, or perhaps to make a trial of her pretty plaything ? In fact much in the same way that the Marquise de Brinvilliers distributed poisoned cakes to the poor who begged for bread, just to try the effect of the various poisons she employed." Freneuse, my friend, you are going too far. That sort of thing is out of fashion—it was found too dangerous. This creature knew very well what she was about. She wished to put an end to that particular girl, and to no one else." But why-what can the poor thing have done ?" It I am not prepared to answer that question. It will take time to find out, but I will get at it. For the present I can'only assert that the crime was not without a motive. There is always some reason for getting rid of a woman — vengeance, jealousy, cupidity But this crime-why should it be committed in an omnibus before fifteen people, instead of—■—" "Instead of waylaying the victim at a street corner, or going to kill her at home, or enticing her into some house to strangle her ? It does seem queer at first, but admits of easy explanation. A murder in a house is a perilous performance. Sup- pose this woman, or her accomplice, had gone to the girl's lodgings, the concierge or the neighbourswould have been sure to remark it—a risk they would not have cared to run. Suppose on the contrary that the girl had gone to them and not reappeared. That would have been worse. What would they have done with 'y the corpse—the stumbling-block with all assassins ? To manage the business in the street was simpler, provided it was under cover of darkness. But pro- bably the victim seldom went out at night. Again, she would have to be alone, and the street de,erted. How do wo know that the girl was not accompanied to the omnibus station by some friend ? It was no doubt then that the two wretches, who had probably followed and certainly watched her, resolved to make the omnibus the scene of their operations. Given the ingenious instrument with which they 'had pro- vided themselves, and nothing was easier. The diffi- culty would be in quitting the vehicle before anyone saw that she was dead—and you kno w how success- fully they manoeuvred. But you might search Paris over and you would scarcely know them again if you saw them." I might perhaps recognise the man," answered Freneuse; and yet I saw so little of him but the woman I saw nothing of her but her eyes through a veil." That is not enough to go by. It is true you heard her voice ? Yes; a nicely-modulated voice, rather deep-toned, with a pure Parisian accent as far as I could make out; but if I could scarcely recognise them, I should like to know how you, who have never seen them, flatter yourself you can put your hand on them ? Oh, I have my system. I proceed from the known to the unknown, like the mathematicians. When I am certain who the girl was, I shall find out her most intimate friends, and those she visited, and I shall be very dull if I don't discover to whose interest it would be to do away with her." Yo forget that the man and woman were un- known to her, as she did not address them; so she would not have visited either of their houses." » They were acting for others." That is a rash supposition, and the very founda- tion of your plan is weak; for the name and dwelling of the dead girl are undiscovered." "Pardon me. She is exposed -at the Morgue, and ( 1 "That only shows that nothing is known of her." True. I inquired of the superintendent^ and I was going to relate my conversation witii that functionary when you thought fit to interrupt me on the pretext that I was frightening Pia. He told me they only found in her pocket a worn purse, con- taining fourteen sous, and a little bunch of keys on a steel ring. There was no mark on her linen, and no visiting cards—which is not astonishing-nor a Bc^aPS'f writing of any sort." „ Writmg! Ah, that reminds me I picked up an end of paper in the omnibus." about °it?"°Und a paper, and have said nothing about it? '«WW f7 WOrd'1 did nofc think of it." « Of y°U been thinking of, then ? that is to sav- and J0U ought to think of yours; £ ? 5"u are ^• p^f Be quiet, do You are always talking shop. I possess the genius of discovery, which is altogether wanting in you. ° Yes, altogether." "Sol shall go to work single-handed. If you help me, it will be without knowing it. Now, what have you done with this paper ? You have not burnt it i hope f f No but I may have lost it." Sg Where did you put it ? "-In the pocket of my overcoat with the pin." And the painter sighed as he looked at his unfortu- nate eat. Bines still had the dangerous Implement in his hand, &cd as he gesticulated much in speaking, Frencnse watched him with some uneasiness. Oblige me by putting down that horrid thing," said he," or we shall have some other accident, fit is bad enough that you have killed a poor innocent beast." "Do not be alarmed; I know what I am about," replied the young hare-brain but nevertheless, bs thought it as well to comply with his friend's request. He placed it carefully on the top of the stove, and went to where the overcoat hung. He plunged his hand into the open pocket, and brought out a crumpled paper. (To b« mtiinvud.) i
GOSSIP ON DRESS.
GOSSIP ON DRESS. THE return of Society" to the metropolis, conM. quent upon the opening of Parliament, will have an enlivening effect upon the course of fashion; and, no doubt, encouraged by the present mildness of the season, the modistes will shortly be prepared with various novelties anticipatory of spring. In the meantime, however, there is little change to record. The Paris Correspondent of the Queen says that woollen remains the favourite material for walking costumes as well as for house wear. For the former, poil-de-bieoo and camelot, both plain and figured, are nsad, and for the latter chuddab, camel's hair, tnd cashmere, trimmed with plain velvet, which also com- poses the collar and cuffs. Dark red, golden brown, bronze, and blue are the colours in vogue, and grey, in combination with orange and all shades of yellow, is fashionably worn. For negligi and ordinary costumes, plaids are once more appearing for skirts, the casaquins being of plain nut brown or bege cloth. Afternoon calling toilettes are made with a round skirt, bordered either with chenille, velvet, or plaitings the bodice is pointed in front, and the overskirt, which commences at the hips, is gathered at the back, and is always of some rich material—em- bossed velvet, satin damask, plain velvet, or velvet broohe with large designs. A sudden fancy has sprung up for epaulettes, and they are to be Been in pasie- menterie, in chenille, and in lace, with clusters of falling ribbon loops. THE trinketB and bijouterie which are now so preva- (ent for purposes of ornamentation admit of the display of every variety of taste, and the writer already quoted says that a great novelty in ornaments are flowers, whether real or artificial, to which gold settings and mountings are adapted, and the hearts and dewdrops represented by precious stones, particularly diamonds. These flowers are worn on bonnets, on bodices, on Bkirts, and even on shoes. Roses, forget me-nots, pansies, lilacs, &c., are arranged in this manner, and some are made specially for fastening bonnet striegs. Theatre bonnets are often made of light velvet, covered with tulle to match the strings are narrow, and tied below the ear, being fastened with a fantastic pin or brooch of costly gems. The various devices for these bonnet string ornaments are legion, the most eccentric finding the greatest favour. Gold embroidery and gold lace are occasionally seen on white tulle dresses but, unlees they are used sparingiy, they look tawdry. Rows of gilt braid on the tulle flounces are now super- seded by gold coloured velvet, as the combination of white and yellow is very popular. OTHER accessories of dress are noticed in the columns of the Queen, under the head of "Fashions of he Day." We make the following extracts :-Quilted satin capes, with the [inserted, raised shoulder pieces, bordered with feather trimming, are to be seen, and are intended principally for entertainment wraps, with a muff to match. The muff has a flap at the back, which when raised discovers a pocket, into which can be relegated gloves, opera-glasses, or hanker- chief. Capes of ribbed corduroy, with bright red or gold braid run in between the stripes, are new and pretty; aleo cloth capes and jackets composed of layers of coloured cloth stamped out and laid one over the other, having the appearance of fishes' Ecales. They have a full ruche of cloth round the throat. Coloured marabout feather capes are soft-looking and warm. Neckties of coloured lace or gauze, spotted with chenille, are much worn, matching the dress. With a hat they are tied in a bow under the chin but with a bonnet looesly knotted to one side and fastened with a fano] pin or brooch. Two pieces of tolerably wi3e edging lace, sewn together, make the requisite width, LACE CASCADES and loose fronts of cream or black lace, gathered at the throat, and reaching to the waist, are useful for smartening up dark dresses. A pretty way of arranging them is with a narrow band of black velvet round the throat, and two revera of black velvet down the sides of the cascade, giving the appsarance of the cream lace emerging from a velvet waistcoat. Another new way is to cross two muslin ends, finely plaited and edged with lace, over each other, and fasten them with a horse-shoe pin. These ends are sewn on to a band, which goes inside the dress collar, showing a plaiting of lace above. Then a small square of fine book or silk muslin is edged with deep lace like a handkerchief, and tied loosely in a knot, with the ends hanging down in points. This is usually put on rather to one side, with one end pinned up higher than the other with a bee or little cock brooch. Two coloured velvet ribbon or silk rosettes, connected by double ends, are placed the one on the left shoalder and the other on the throat, with the ends loosely resting on the bodice. A BLACK lace rosettes, connected with black satin ribbon, are suitable for dresses. Running a double row of black or oream lace down the front of a bodice, from inside, and turning each one back from the centre with large fancy buttons, or beaded berry balls, is a pretty becoming fashion for evening and smart morning wear. With jet it is much affected by elderly ladies. Good old lace can be displayed in this way, and often the ornaments fastening it back are diamonds, or rococo jewellery of various designs, fastened in at some distances. The most dainty capes of lace, with raised shoulders, are sometimes seen over the bare shoulders of wearers of low evening dresses. They are usually made at home, and match to some extent the lace on the dress. A narrow padded band is put at the shoulder puffa to raise them. Black lace maptillas, first lined with a colour to show through, either red or yellow, and then again with plush, with the right side outwards, have been used as light wraps for concerts and entertainments during the mild whiter. They are gathered up at the bend of the arm, trimmed with a full, high ruche round the throat, and finished off with a fancy clasp or loops of plush ribbon. LARGE black lace aprons are much patronised for afternoon wear. The bib Is either composed of several rows of narrow gathered lace, or of one square of piece lace, puckered into the waistband. One pocket is at the side (optional) and a coloured pockethandkerchief peeps out of it. The Turkish and Bulgarian embroi- deries. recently so fashionable on chair backs, are now used for aprons. They are put over old gold, red, or dark peacock satin, or surat, folded In half, fixed into the band, and drawn away to the sides, one end is rather longer than the other. There Is some scope for variety of arrangement, and the effect is very good. Yellow satin aprons, cut out in battlements, with a fall of black lace underneath, and pockets and bibs of frills of narrower lace, are fashionable. Some ladies are very fastidious about the appointments of their tea tables, and vary their personal lace and ribbons to correspond with those of their tea-cloth and cosey. The coloured Roman satin tea-cloths look well with their fall of deep coffee or cream lace. Black lace muffs, with hanging jet balls on various lengths of ribbon, are more general for elderly ladies than any other kind but others, composed of feathers of birds, of coloured marabout, and of puckered velvet and sable tails, are also popular. Young ladies' muffs are often of scraps of their costumes, ornamented with a large cluster of velvet or satin loops, or anything they like to put, the more uncommon the better.
HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.
HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. Saffo Pudding.-Boll three tablespoonfuls of sago in a quart of milk, add a pinch of salt. When cooked set it to cool, stirring it occasionally. Beat four eggs very light with three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and stir it into the sago and milk and a small piece of butter and flavour with nutmeg. Bake forty minutes. Custard Pudding.-To one quart of milk take six QDe,cuP sn§f&r. one-fourth of a teaspoonful of B ft J? milk and pour over the eggs and sugar after they are beaten add a small piece of feutter and bake one-half hour. Homing Crumpets,—One teacupful of hominy, boiled in milk; one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of powdered sugar, one-third of a yeast cake dissolved in tepid water salt to taste, and flour enough to make a muffin batter. Beat the ingredients well together. Lst it rise over night. Bake in muffin rings in a quick oven. Spiced Beef. —Make a brine with ltb. salt, ioz. salt. petre, lIb. sugar, thirty cloves, as many allspice and black peppercorns, six bay-leaves; crack the spice; xktu on to *°.r a 'ew m'nutes in a pint of water. When cold, pout it over a piece of beef about 101b, Tarn it every day for a fortnight. When wanted for use, put the beef into a deep pan with the brine, a little wator, and about lib. suet. Bake it till tender let it get cold in the brine. Stuffing for Veal.—Chop up lIb. beef suet very nne put in a basin, with 8oz. breadcrumbs, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a little powdered) thyme and mar. joram, half the rind of a lemon grated, and the juice of hplf a one. Season with a spoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, and one-quarter of a nutmeg. Mix the whole with three whole eggs. This will do also to stuft turkey or baked fish, adding some more chopped parsley. Orange Jelly.-For a small dish of jelly take a half. cupful of gelatine and dissolve it in a half-cupful of water, letting it stand for an hour; then add the juice of four oranges and a little less than a pound of white sugar after mixing thoroughly, pour on a pint of boiling water. The mixture is not to go near the fire, but is pressed into a mould and set in a cool place. When ready to serve, dip the mould for an instant in hot water and then tarn out the jelly. Lemon Cake.-Four eggs, beat the yolks with two cups of powdered sugar until quite smooth whip the whites to a froth, and add to the beaten yolks, then Btir in slowly one cup of sifted flour and the grated rind cf one lemon. Line a tin pan with buttered paper, pour in the cake and bake half-an-hour.
[No title]
The Italian barque Mio Cugino has been lost with three of her crew, while proceeding from Qaeenetown to Maryport. An alarming explosion has occurred at the Aber. deen Gas Works. The workmen were engaged in hoisting the cover of one of the purifying tanks, when a carter who stood by, unconscious of the danger, struck a match for the purpose of lighting his pipe. An explosion ensued, aud seven men were injured. The expedition to New Guinea, which is being promoted by the Royal Geographical Sooiety and the British Association, ia expected to leave England about the end of February. The Jewish Chronicle says there has lately died at Carpentras, in France, a Jew at the age [of ,106 years, M. Aron Lisbonne, uncle of M. Lisbonne, a former member of the Chamber of Deputies. Pfere Liabonne, as be was familiarly called, retained all his faculties to the very last, and he leaves a brother, who resides at Lyons, and is in his ninety-seventh year. Aead colliery accident has occurred at the works of the Gatewen Colliery Company, near Wrexham, which resulted in the death of a collier, named John Jones, residing at Bersbam, It appears that he was at work down a shaft aa usual, when, owing to some unknown cause, a portion of the roof fell in upon him, crushing him in a fearful manner, death ensuing almost immediately. On Friday in last week Mr. Samuel Elliman, o! Blougb, was driving with a friend, and when crossing Englefield-green his horse shied at some canvas which soma workpeople had placed around their fire. Mr. JSiliman was thrown out of his trap and sus- tained h-juries resulting In his death almost mme-
THE MYSTERIOUS POISONING CASE.
THE MYSTERIOUS POISONING CASE. On Monday Mr. G. H. Hull, the Mid-Surrey Coroner, resumed an adjourned inquiry, at Wands- worth Prison, relative to the death of George Robin- son, aged 51, a chemist's traveller, lately residing in Walworth-road, who died under very mysterious cir- cumstances soon after his admittance into the prison to undergo a sentence of three months' hard labour for an assault upon his wife. According to the evidence given on a former occasion, the deceased was brought up before the magistrate at Lambeth Police-court on the 19th ult., after having undergone a week's incarceration in the House of Detection. While wait- ing to receive sentence his wife brought him some re- freshments, which he partook of. He ate a sandwich and drank a quantity of beer. Subsequently some coffee was procured for him, which he drank. He was then apparently in good health, and was removed to the prison^about half-past four in the afternoon. On his admission he was found to be very ill, and died two hours afterwards. The medical officers of the prison made a post-mortem examination of the remains, but could find nothing to account for death. The stomach and its contents, however, were submitted to Professor Stevenson, of Guy's Hospital, who found symptoms of arsenical poisoning. Evidence was now given to show that while under remand his clothing was searched, but no poison was found concealed about his person. The widow deposed that she procured the deceased a ham sandwich and some beer while at the police- court, and they were handed to him by the gaoler. She stated, however, that the deceased told her that he would never be able to undergo his sentence, and wished to say good-bye to all his friends. Barnett, the coroner's officer, stated that he searched the deceased's bedroom, and found a number of bottles containing chemicals, and there was some arsenic. The wife, recalled, said her husband never locked up the chemicals, and she and other members of the family had access to them. She, however, never touched the articles. After other evidence, the Coroner remarked that this was one of the most mysterious caees that had ever come under his notice, and he deemed it his duty to bring the matter before the Home Secretary. He was determined to strictly in- vestigate the case, and he should therefore again ad- journ the inquiry to see if in the meantime any further evidence could be procured. The inquiry was accoordingly again adjourned.
THE CHARGE OF SHOOTING A BOY.
THE CHARGE OF SHOOTING A BOY. In London, on Monday, at the Worship-street Police-court, Wm. Crowhuret, plasterer, of M'Laren- street, Clapton-park, surrendered to his bail on a charge of maliciously wounding Thomas Skeggs, a lad 15 years of age, by shooting him. Mr. Abbott defended the prisoner. The case had been adjourned from the previous week for the attend- ance of the prosecutor, who was then confined in a hospital, and other witnesses. The boy Skeegs now gave his evidence. He said that on Saturday week, at one o'clock in the afternoon, he noticed the prisoner with a gun on the Rock Estate, near Hackney Marshes. He went up to watch the prisoner pick a pigeon. The prisoner wished him to leave him, but witness did not go away, and the prisoner then threw some mud and a brick at him. Witness threw back the brick, and the prisoner then said "I will shoot you." This frightened the witness, who ran across the field with his head bent. After running about sixty yards, he turned and looked back at the prisoner, who was then holding the gun at his shoulder. Immediately afterwards the gun was fired, and the boy was shot in three place. One or two of the shots penetrated his right eye, and others went into his leg and arm. Some persons went to his assistance, among them being the secretary to the estate, who tock him to a surgeon near, and afterwards to the Royal Ophthalmic Hospital, Liverpool-street, The prosecutor said he was certain about the fact that the prisoner held the gun at his shoulder, and this statement was confirmed by two oiher witnesses, a carter and a labourer, who wit- nefsed the occurrence. It was also proved that the prisoner took the matter very coolly when spoken to about it. Dr. Lawford, of the Ophthalmic Hospital, Eaid the boy had lost the sight of his right eye, which wa* completely destroyed by one of the shots, which penetrated through it, and was still lodged back in the socket. The eye had to be removed by an operation. The prosecutor had been discharged from the hospitaL There were no witnesses for the prisoner; but it was elicited in cross-examination that when the prisoner spoke to the boy on the field he said he was sorry and that it was an accident. The prisoner also took the boy to the hospital, and was there arrested by Police-sergeant Edwards. Mr. Hannay said he would commit the prisoner for trial after a week's formal remand. Bail was refused.
AN ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
AN ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. In London, on Monday, at the Marylebone Police- court, James Arthur, 37, of 171, Edgware-road, a coffeehouse-keeper, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by shooting himself with a revolver, on the 5th of January.—John Arthur paid that he was aseittant to hie brother, the prisoner. On the morning of the 5th of January he (witness) was sitting with hia brother in the basement of 171, Edgware-road, Mrs. Arthur having just gone up to bed. He noticed that the prisoner looked rather strange, and sud- denly he jump 1 up with a revolver in his hand. He (witness) endeavoured to take it from him, but the prisoner, being stronger, threw him off and rushed up- stairs. He heard the report of a pistol, and followed his brother, who was, he found, considerably injured. He helped him up, sent for a doctor, and afterwards saw him conveyed to the hospital. He was decidedly the worse for drink, and had been so for some days. Mr. Cater, house surgeon at St. Mary's Hospital, said the prisoner was brought to that institution about four o'clock on the morning of January 5. He was Buffering from a large wound in the scalp, apparently caused by a bullet, which was found an inch and a quarter under the skin some four days later perfectly flat. It was found to correspond with other bullets in his possession, and to fit a revolver which had been given to the police. He was now convalescent, and had been discharged. He was under the influence of drink when admitted. -Police sergeant Gladdis, 11 D, baving deposed to the fact that he was called to the prisoner at 171, Edgware-road, and sent for Dr. Capon, who attended to his injuries prior to sending him to the hospital, a second brother of the prisoner's also spoke as to the condition of insobriety in which the prisoner was at the time of the occurrence.—Inspector Theobald said that when charged the prisoner said it was all through drink. He did not know at the time what he was doing, but since he had realised the wickedness of his act he was only too ready to express his Borrow for what he had done.—The first witness was recalled, and said that the prisoner was going to live with him if discharged, and expressed his willing- ness to be surety for his good behaviour.—Mr. De Rutzen said this was another illustration of the evils of intemperance. It was only by a marvellous stroke of luck that the prisoner did not kill himself. He must enter into his own recognizances of £ 50, while his brother became surety in B10 for his good behaviour in the future.
THE PRINCE OF WALES AT BRISTOL.
THE PRINCE OF WALES AT BRISTOL. On Monday evening the Prince of Wales arrived at Brietol on a visit to Sir Philip Miles, of Leigh Court During the journey very special precautions were taken with the Zulu express, by which the Prince travelled in a Royal saloon. The Great Western Railway Com- pany, in addition to the usual pilot engine, stationed permanent way men at short intervals, almost within speaking distance, the whole of the distance—119 miles-from Paddington to Bristol. The entrances to the tunnels and the tops of any ventilation shafts were also guarded. Two detective officers of the Metropolitan Police Force were on the platform of the new joint station with the Bristol detectives, and two officers of the latter body went by rail to Bath, and returned just before the arrival of the train by which the Prince travelled. The Zulu left Paddington thirteen minutes late, and was about ten minutes lato at Bristol, where many thousands of people assembled to greet his Royal Highness notwithstanding that at his special request the visit was considered a private one. There was no decoration of the public streets, and a proposed illumination of the (principal thoroughfares was abandoned. The route to be taken to Leigh Court was kept secret, and many persons, believing that the Prince would pass through the City and cross the Clifton Suspension-bridge, crowded the main streets; but on arriving at the station his Royal Highness, after being received by Sir Philip Miles and the Mayor, Mr. Joseph D. Weston, and greeted with hearty hurrahs by the immense crowds assembled there, entered a private carriage with Sir Philip Miles, and went by the river side to Leigh, thus keep- ing outside the city. A force of mounted police Attended the carriage, and constables were stationed at intervals along the road, and the Somerset County Police lined the road from the city boundary to Leigh Court, around which there was an additional force of police! Although there were but few decorations in the city, the residents of Abbots Leigh had erected triumphal arches, and the drive to Leigh Court was overarched with evergreens. In tha village large numbers of visitors from Bristol joined the residents in giving the Prince a hearty reception.
DISASTERS AT SEA.
DISASTERS AT SEA. A barque, named the> NoJcomis, of Londonderry, which put back to the f^oyle on Saturday in con- sequence of the gale, was blown from her anchorage out to sea in the evening, and was ultimately driven ashore on the coast of Antrim at Port Stewart, and all on board perished. A correspondent who visited the scene of the wreck, says that the Nokomis is su pposed to have got embayed in trying to reach Portrush lloads for shelter, when she struck on the Blackrock and was crushed. The crew numbered 15 hands, and there was also a pilot named Gillespie on board. The crew all belonged to Londonderry. The Nokomis was bound from Londonderry in ballast for Baltimore, and was owned by a Londonderry firm. The Clarence, steamer, of and for Workington from Rockferry, with ore, went ashore at the South End. Walney, at 2.30 a.m. on Sunday, and foundered about daybreak. Three of the crew were lost; the remainder were landed at South End, Walney. On Sunday, opposite Lytham, the Bannisan, bri- gantine, from Charlestown for Liverpool, laden with bales of cotton, went ashore, One man was washed away, and it was not till after some hours' work that the crew were rescued by the Southport lifeboat. The vessel was a total wreck.
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It is officially stated in Madrid that the Spanish Government forbids toasts for the anniversary of the Republic of 1872 being given at banquets in February OHABGJD OF MANSLAUGHTER.—At the Dewsbury Police-court on Monday Patrick O'Donnell, labourer, Dewsbury, was charged with the manslaughter of Thomas Bolan, coal-miner, of Heckmondwike. Henry Jennison, gardener to Mr. A. J. Critchley, of Batley Carr, stated that on Saturday night about a quarter. past eleven he saw a number of young Irishmen near Neylor-street, Batley Carr, quarrelling amongst them- selves, and the prisoner, who was quarrelling with Bolan, kicked him so severely that he died seven minutes afterwards. The prisoner was remanded pending the inquest.
I PUBLIC MEN ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
PUBLIC MEN ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS. Mr. Arnold, M.P., In addressing a meeting convened by the Accrington Liberal Association, upon Parlia- mentary reforms, said there was no real similarity between the case of 1866 and that of the coming session. He wished to lay stress on the fact that assimilation of the franchise altered the problem. The question of 1884 would be the absolutely new question of uniformity. of franchise. Until that bad been decided by the House of Commons he held most strongly that the Government would not be juitified in putting forward proposals for redistribution. He thought uniformity of franchise the key to the political future. If there were to be differences of franchise out- side and inside boroughs, the future would be one long. continued agitation. It would net be possible to stop fagotting if they retained the freehold franchise. He (Mr. Arnold) felt sure that whatever line Mr. Bright took would be accepted, and that the freehold fran. chise would not be abolished. Therefore, he wished to s"ggest a compromise. Most people disliked disfran- chisement, though it bad formed part of every Reform Bill, and many county qualifications had been acquired with a patient frugality which made them the honourable mark of suocessful industry. They might deal with the property vote as the freeman vote was dealt with in 1867. Let there be no dis- franchisement in the case of residents, and no addition. Let the property qualification be repealed as a franchise, cavirg the personal rights of all those now upon the register who are resident within the county or division for which the vote is claimed. In that way they would establish the principle of uniformity, together with a sound basis upon which to deal with redistribution. Liberals showed great moderation In making no further demand?. If the reforms which Mr. Gladstone would propose should be long obstructed there oiuld be no doubt that the I memory of the Duke of Richmond of 1780—the father of electoral districts and of manhood suffrage—would be revived with a distinction which would astonish no one more than the descendants of his grace. They all desired that the settlement now made should have some endurance. They did not wish to be engaged in Parliamentary reform all the years of their lives. But if the Government were to attempt to deal with all the many parts of this subject at once imperfection was inevitable, and agitation would be unceasing. Mr. Marriott, M.P. for Brighton, speaking at the annual dinner of the Brighton Parliamentary Society, hailed with gratification the growth of kindred societies throughout the country, regarding them as a valuable vehicle of political education. In alluding to the coming Reform Bill, without abso- lutely expressing an opinion upon the desirability of extending the franchise, he was understood to suggest that Buoh a step would be premature. It would tend to make the country more demo- cratic, and taking America and France as illus* trations he felt that Democratic Governments had not succeeded very greatly up to the present. There were some people who looked upon the franchise as a right; he looked upon it as a trUBt. It was a question whether those who had not got it were in a fit state to have it extended to them. We had to govern a population of something like 300,000,000 of people in our colonies, and probably not one of those to whim it was proposed to extend the franchise knew anything of the geographical position or customs of those whose destinies they would help to control. At a meeting of the Liberal Three Hundred at Darlington, Mr. A. Pease, M.P., referred to the Ilbert Bill, and spoke in high terms of Lord Ripon, express- ing his strong approval of the Viceroy's legislation, aud especially of the Ilbert Bill in its entirety bsfora being altered. Alluding to the Egyptian Question, Mr. Pea?e condemned the way in which the Tories had tried to hound the Government on to war, and now they turned round trying to make capital out of it. and saying it was a blunder to make war at all. He thoroughly endorsed the remark made by Sir Farrer Herachell that the great mistake of the Government was not going in for a reversal of the policy of the last Government. Referring to Ireland, he said that the men who had cried out against the breaking of law and infringement of order were now trying their very best to do what they had erstwhile decried. Ncbody but those who had been in Ireland had any idea of the bitterness which was being created bbtween the two opposing sections. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Sunderland Shipowners' Society, Mr. Storey, M.P., thought the experience of the last six months had convinced Mr. Chamberlain that he had acted hastily in proposing to interfere uith ship insurance and other matters. Mr. Storey was therefore hopeful that when the proposed bill did come it would be more moderate than the shipowners now believed. Mr. Chamberlain might press for the inclusion of shipowners under the pro- vision of the Employers' Liability Act, but there would be many members in the House of Commons who would contend that such an extension was not ust, fair, nor reasonable. Speaking at the annual dinner of the Port of Ply. mouth Chamber of Commerce, the Earl of Morley, Under-Secretary for War, admitted that it would strengthen the confidence of commercial men if the chitf coaling stations and home harboura were better protected. The expense need not be enormous, and it behoved the commercial world to consider whether it could not well afford it; as an insurance premium it ought not to be grudged. His lordship stated that during nine months of last year 33,000 men were re- cruited, which he thought showed that if we had not solved the army problem in the best possible way, we ware at any rate on the right track. On Monday evening Mr. Herbert Gladstone and Mr. Osborne Morgan took part in connection with the opening of a Liberal club at Stanningley, near Brad- ford. Mr. H. Gladstone, In the course of his speech, said he hailed with pleasure the reform of county government in England, and hoped it would be ex. tended to Ireland, It was most encouraging to find the great enthusiasm with which measures of re- form were received throughout the land. The Government meant to extend the franchise to Ireland; they also intended to reform county government in Ireland, and he hoped, although it might ba left for another session, that the Government would be called upon to deal with the actual form of administration in Ireland. Mr. Otborne Morgan dwelt upon the advantages of political clubs as giving unity to the party. Mr. Hibbert, M.P., Under-Secretary at the Home Office, and the Hon. E. L. Stanley, M.P., addressed their constituents at Oldham on Monday night. Mr. Hibbert said they met on the eve of very impor. tant events, but there never was a time when the Liberals were more truly and loyally united to each other, or when a Government was more anxious to bring in a large and liberal measure of reform. Tory speakers seemed to think that a general election was near at hand, but he did not think it was so near as they imagined it t) be. As a working member of the Government he had passed 26 bills through Parliament, and so he had not been idle. If Lord Salisbury's advice was taken by the Conservative party, and they were to resist reform, it would lead here, as it had done in other countries, to revolution, and, j>erhap?, to the extinction of Lord Salisbury and his colleagues. In spite of the amount of criticism during the recess, the Government was as strong to day as when it was first formed. Mr. Stanley repudiated the social ties advocated by Mr. George and others of the same school of thought. Mr. W. R. H. Powell and Sir John Jones Jenkins, the Liberal members for the county and borough of Carmarthen, addressed their conetituents in that town on Monday night. Mr. Powell said that the redistri- bution of seats ought to include the division of the county into districts, giving each voter one vote only, and that in the district in which he resided. He denied that the Church in Wales would be ruined if disestablished. Sir J. Jones Jenkins said a check was imperatively needed to the enormous expense of private bill legislation. During the last ten years the Great Western, the Midland, and the North-Western Railway Companies spent jEl.041,000 in legal and Parliamentary expenses, and as the shareholders looked for returns the public had to pay the interest on those enormous sums in high railway fares and inefficient accommodation. Mr. Bourke, M.P., Bpeaking at a meeting of the Conservative Association at King's Lynn, said a great deal of factious agitation had been got up with regard to what were called reforms, and they were told that a Franchise Bill was to be the staple measure of the session. With respect to the extension of household franchise in the counties, he for his part would say that if there were any irregularities which the agricul- tural community complained of, and which they were anxious to have redressed, be should wish to approach that question having full confidence in the people who comprised the agricultural community. It was quite possible that in a reform of this sort the present Government would not only enfranchise a large number of persons, but they would also disfranchise a large number who possessed the right of voting in counties at present. A Franchise Bill would add a large number of voters to the present constituencies some paid as many as 2,000,000. What the Opposi. tion wanted to know was how those 2,000,000 of votes were to be distributed, and how the irre- gularities which at present existed were to be remedied. It was unreasonable for any Government to propose to give a vast number of persons votes with- out making equitable arrangements that those votes should be fairly distributed. In conclusion, Mr. Bourke said there was other legislation which he should have liked to have seen introduced; for in. stance, the improvement of the dwellings of the poor, and the subject of local taxation. If the programme of the violent Radicals were carried out, this country would no longer be England, but we should be domineered over by persons who were not thinking politicians.
THE FOREIGN CORN TRADE.
THE FOREIGN CORN TRADE. In the United States values for wheat have improved during the week (says the Mark Lane Express). At New York on Saturday quotations were as follow:- Spring wheat, 33s. 8d.; red winter, on spot, 053 3d. January, 35s. 2d.; Janaary, 35j. 4d.; March, 36s. 2d.; extra State flour, 14s. 2d. to 15s. maize, 20s. 6d. per 4801b. f.o.b. As compared with the currencies of the corresponding day in the pre- vious week, these quotations show an advance of 4d. on spring wheat. h. 2d. on spot. winter, Is. 2d. on January, Is. Oid. on February, and le. Oid, on March. 5d. advance on flour; and 4d. advance on maize. The extremely low rates current during the previous week induced a demand for export, together with a considerable amount of gambling business for cover- ing-" purposes. In California the drought had con- tinued down to Monday, the date of the latest telegram, and the growing wheat crop is supposed to be taking injury. In the Argentine Republic there has been harvested a large crop of wheat and linseed, the exports being estimated at about doable thore of last year. On the Continent of Europe the weather has been for the most patt mild and stormy, and grain markets have been very depressed. In France some of the wheats are reported as being too forward for the season.—Ma? k Lane Exwess.
FUNERAL OF THE LATE HERB !…
FUNERAL OF THE LATE HERB LASKER. Writing on Me nday night the Berlin correspondent of the Daily News says:— The public funeral of the late Dr. Lasker took place to-day. By eleven o'clock all paits of the large syna- gogue, holding 4000 persons, were densely filled by an atsemblage including officers and the leading members of the Liberal parties in the Reichstag, Landtag, and Municipality. No member of the Ministry attended, and but few Conservative members of Parliament. The plain American coffin, con. taining the body, stood before the tabernacle, surrounded by large candelabras with lighted tapers, and nearly concealed beneath hundreds of wreaths, palm branches, and flowers from many parts of Germany, and several from America. After the proceedings had opened with a Hebrew Psalm, excellently rendered by the male choir, the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Frankel, delivered a prayer and an address on the life and works of the deceased statesman, referring also to his stay in England, that model State of Constitutional life. A hymn, written and composed for the occasion, followed. Herr Friedrich Kapp, member of the Reichstag, then delivered a memorial oration. A dirge, sung by the choir, closed the religious service. ^Meanwhile the procession had already begun to form in the adjacent streets, and after the coffin had been placed on a plain open hearse covered with black cloth, it started for the Jewish cemetery. The pro- cession numbered many thousands, including all the Liberal political associations of Berlin, the guilds, corporations, working-men societies, deputations from other towns with their flags, and numerous bands playing funeral marches. Notwith- standing unfavourable weather all the streets leading from the synagogue to the cemetery, distant one miit", were lined by dense crowds. At thecemeterv another Rabbi delivered prayers according to the Jewish ritual, and at two o'clock the coffin was low.\red into the grave, past which the entire procession then marched, depositing wreaths. The entire ceremony passed off in a dignified and impressive manner.
The CAPTIVE CREW of the "NISERO."
The CAPTIVE CREW of the "NISERO." Messrs. Pinkney, Sons, and Clare, the owners of the steamer Niiero have received a communication from the Foreign Office, which states that a telegram has been sent to the Colonial Office by the Governcr of the Straits Settlements, dated the 25th ins: It an- nounces that the Rajah of Tencm has informed the Governor that he is taking care of the crew of the IX isero. The following is an extract from a letter, dated Sumatra, Dec. 8, from Captain Woodhouse, of the Nisero, to his wife-" This is the most terrible news I have ever had to send. I am as if risen from the dead. What terrible sufferings I have gone through For da> s nothing to eat but a little rice night and morning, and treated like a dog. It is impossible for me to write yet, my feelings will not allow me. When we were wrecked the natives (who are savages) ciine down and took us all prisoners. Since then they have taken U3 to three different places, sometimes making us go up to the chin in water, giving ui nothing to eat, several times nearly killing up. It was eight days before anyone knew we were there, when the Dutch got a friendly Rajah to go to our Rajah and ask what terms he would deliver us up for; at the same time sending me a letter telling me to keep my heart up, for they had two men-of-war ships out- side. At this time an Engli,h war-ship with a consul on beard was lying off the shore. I begged the Rajah to ltt me go and speak to him, and to let me take the Eick ones with me but he would only let the Recond engineer go. When I got on board I fainted, for the first time in my life. All the officers were so kind. The trcopa and ships are ready to chastise the R¡.j"b, but prtiy Ged hs may release the crew Every one is very kind to me, und will not let me return. I am still very weak." The following is an extract from a despatch from H.M. Minister at the Hague, dated 24th January :— "At yesterday's sitting of tho Stcoud Chamber of the Sates-General, the Acting Minister for the Colonies read a telegram which ha had received from tha Governor General of Netherlands India, of which the following is a translation, giving an account of the result of the military expedition undertaken by the Dutch authorities in Atchin against the Rajah of Tenom, wish a view to the rescue of the crew of the shipwrecked British vessel JSisero, held as prisoners by that chief: 'On the 7tii January the troops landed &t Tenom. On the following day the en. trenchment (Gedei) was taken by storm after a severe engagement. Padatg Kiing, which bad been very strongly fortified, was attacked on two aides and burnt. Simpang Olim, the residence of the Rajah, wai levelled with the ground by our guns, and Tenom chastised in an exemplary manner, after which the troops returned to Kotta Radia (tbe Dutch headquarters in Atchin). The military and naval forces vied with each other in courage and persever- ance. Captain Leyssius, of the infantry, who led the storming party, specially distinguished himself. Lieut. Count Schimmjljseninch was foremost at the storm- j ing and capture of the rifle pits and entrenchments. He received two slight sword-cuts. An Amboina fusilier named Patty was the first to protect the wounded lieutenant. Naval Lieutenant of the first- class Prager stormed and took possession of a fortified position occupied by the enemy. A sailor of the first- class named Barent saved tbe life of a non-commis- sioned officer under heavy fire, and at the risk of his own life. Lieutenant Snyder and two privates were killed. Two privates are missing and four men, of whom three belong to the navy, were wounded. The i Iv-ijah retired with the prisoners from the Nisero into I the interior."
SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE.
SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE. A sad disaster has occurred at the mouth of the Mersey, resulting in the lose of 25 lives, in circum- stances of great suffering. Throughout Sunday night and Monday morning a gale was blowing from the weat-north-wtsb, with a terrific sea. About two a.m. information was received at New Brighton and Liverpool that two vessels were in distress on Taylor's Bank, in the estuary of the river. The New Brighton lifeboat put out in the darkness in search of the distressed vessels, and was speedily followed by the Liverpool lifeboat, both being in tow of powerful steamtugs. At daybreak it was discovered that one of th3 vessels had floated and bad put back to port, where she reported having received but little damage. There was a dense mist at the mouth of the river, and as it lifted occasionally those on the tugboats and the lifeboats, which they had in tow, could discern above the water the masts of a large iron ship, to the rigging of which 25 men were clinging. The lifeboats re- mained by the wreck for some hours in the hope of being able to render some assistance to themen on the ill-fated vessel. The sea at this time was running mountains high, and as the flsod tide rose the great waves dashed over the poor fellows in the rigging, who had already been exposed all night to the iury of the gale and sea. So great, however, was the violence of the gale and so dangerous the position of the vessel, surrounded by wreckage, that the tugboats found it impossible to cast off the lifeboats, and ultimately, the men becoming exhausted by exposure, the tugs were reluctantly put about and returned with the lifeboats to port. At the time of leaving the stranded vessel the sea was making a clean breach over her, and the only hope for the safety of the crew was that the masts might be able to withstand the fury of the gale. So great had been the force of the sea that the vessel had been com- pletely turned round from the position in which she originally went ashore. Her mainmast had gone by the board, and part of the mizen-mast had also been torn away. Several inward bound vessels passed the wreck, but were unable to render any assistance, as they could not get within a mile o 1 her. They reported, however, seeing the crew in the rigging, Shortly after the return of the lifeboat the captain of an arriving tug reported that the masts bad gone by the board, and that all hands had been drowned. There was great excitement on the landing-stage, where a large crowd had assembled, on the return of the life- boat about its fruitless mission, and much indignation was expressed that the poor fellows had been aban- dened to their fate. Gentlemen boatmen and river policemen volunteered to man the lifeboat to return to the wreck, and a crew was soon obtained, hut before a start could be made the news of the fate of the men had reached the stage. The crew of the lifeboat gave the name of the wrecked vessel as the Juno, owned by Messrs. Donald Kennedy and Co., of Liverpool, which left the Mersey on the previous Monday, with a crew of twenty-five hands all told, most of whom were foreigllers. The Juno was a three-masted vessel of 1500 tons burden. The captain of the tug Fiery Cross, which towed oat the New Brighton lifeboat, gives it as his opinion that the vessel is not the Juno, and says he made out sufficient of the name to conclude that she was the Sydney Dacres, an inward bound ship from Calcutta. Other captains, however, report that the vessel was un- doubtedly the Liverpool ship Juno, the crew of which were: James Corkhill, Isle of Man, master; George Brown, Dumfries, mate; William M'Vane Down, second mate; Adolph Bowfil, Dresden, carpenter James Budson, Isle of Man, boatswain; Marin Louis, Antwerp, sail-maker; Robert Riddick, Liverpool, A.B. James Berrent, Yarmouth, ordinary seaman; T. Clery, Waterford; George White, and some foreign sailor301 various nationalities. It is thought that the Juno had been driven back by stress of weather, and it is stated that the captain's wife and children were on board when she left the Mersey.
SAD CASE OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
SAD CASE OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. In London on Monday, at the Mansion House, John Johnson, described as a waiter, was charged before the Lord Mayor with attempting to commit suicide. On Wednesday in last week the prisoner stabbed himself in the chest at a restaurant in Fenchurch-street, and on being apked why ha had done it, he said it was owing to the great distress in which his wife and children were. On the police going to his lodging in Bethnal-green a dreadful state of things was found. There was little if any furniture in the place, and the wife, who opened the door, was so weak as to be hardly able to stand. She had seven children in all, some of whom were lyisg on a rickety bedstead with no clothes on them. In a dark corner other children were huddled together in a naked state, fapt asleep in each other's arms. In the fireplace was a little girl of four, with no shoes or stockings, The wife was expecting her confinement daily. The eldest daughter, who was about 18, was nursing an illegitimata child of her own, the father of whcm was in a lunatic asylum. The police gave them soma money to relieve their imme. diate necessities. The prisoner's wounds were not serious, and the Lord Mayor discharged him on hia promise not to repeat the office, He also directed the police to report the condition of the family to the relieving officer of the parish, so that they might be helped without delay. Y.
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To KEEP WAGONS IN GOOD OBDEX— The follow- ing recipa is said to be good for keening the running- gear of wagons in order. After the woodwork IT macla, and before it is put together, soak every p;rt of thl' running-gear in crude petroleum oil for m? hours; and then, after putting it tojethfr, tbe I same with it from end to end, inoludiog the <Fh6e?9, By so doing once every three months, but lit'-le ripttr. ing is necessary, The oil prsvsnts ths from either shrinking or swelling, I
:SINGULAR CASE OF IMPOSTURE.
SINGULAR CASE OF IMPOSTURE. On Monday Mr. T. T. De Lssaux, coroner, held aim inquest at Whitstable on the body of Frances Wood, alias Fanny Jordan, aged 35. The deceased had for over twenty years carried out the imposture of pre- tending to be a confirmed invalid and bedridden, and that she had been stricken black in the face by a mar- vellotisvisitation. She elicited much sympathy and charitable help in this way. Hsr-iet Jordan, mother of the deceased, said that the d sceased had never been very strong. When she was 14 years of age she was bfflicted with typhoid fever, ar-d whan she got better she went to a situation, but did not stay long, When she wa3 15 years of age she had a fright. A deaf-and-dumb man used to come to tha house, and she was always alarmed at him. On one occasion she saw him with a large knife in his hand, and she was so frightened that ebe was never well afterwards. She wa3 for eight weeks an out-patient of the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, and after that she took to her bed. She could not eat anything that WM solid, but lived upon wine, brandy, custards, jellies, j spontre cakes, and oysters. She vomited everything, and had no natural evacuations. She was apparently paralyzed, with the exception o! one hand, but with this hand, however, she could write letters. For many years her face had been almost black, with the excep- tion of a white streak down the nose. Witness had never sutp-cted all this time that her daughter had been practising a wicked deception, but a fortnight ago she confessed that she had done so, and had carried on the imposture for 20 years, Witness happened to say to deceased, Fanny, yon do net seem happy; have you anything on your mind." She said she had a load on her conscience, and she then confessed that she bad never been paralyzed; that she had the use of both f hands; and that the dark hue of her face was I artificially produced, she having blackened it by means of burnt ccrk. Replying to the jury, Mrs, I Jordon said the blackness of her daughter's face dillap. I peared all at once, and when she questioned her about it, deceased attributed it to the shock she sustained upon learning that her brother had been committed to prison. All these years witness detected no black marks upon the sheets or pillow of deceased's bed. Deceased always wore a handkerchief over her faca and head, and witness never saw her put it on or take it off. Deceased always threw the handkerchiefs into the hand basln herself, and she never noticed any dis- coloration of the water. Deceased would have no difficulty in getting corks, because she frequently bad ginger beer and other bittlas. She also had a piece c ndl* always at bani, tf the rubbed her sore side fwith tallow. Witness admitted that she had never washed the deceased. She used to take water to de- ceased for that purpose, but never remained while she washed. Several medical men had seen deceased, but not of late ye*rs she did not seek their aid be- cause she thought they could do her daughter no good. She remembered L*dy St. Vincent calling to see the deceased on one occasion. She understood tbat her ladyship expressed the opinion that the deceased's faie was pointed, but she (wit- i ness) took no steps to satisfy herself whether or not such was the case. Witness declared emphatically that the deception practised by her daughter had not been carried on by her connivance she had no suspicion of it until she confessed. Dr. Hayward said he had made a post mortem examination of the body, and found tu- bercular disease of the lungs, showing that deceased had suffered from consumption, but not of long stand- ing. Ii deceased had received proper treatment, her ¡ life might have been prolonged; The body was ex- tremely emaciated, and there was not a vestige of fat to be seen, and the muscular tissue had nearly all dis- appeared. The iutektines and bladder were perfectly healthy. Alfred Reeves, a member of the Plymouth Brethren, who had v'sited the deceased for many years, deposed to a confession made voluntarily by de* csascd to him, which wss in very similar terms to that deposed 11 in Mrs. Jordan's testimony. Deceased said t-3 him, "Mr. Reeves, I declare to yon, before God, tbat my mother knew nothing of this." The jary re- turned a verdict that tbs decea?ed died from disease of the lungs and consumption, and they expressed the opinion that gross deception had been practised, as 't well as neglect shown in not providing sufficient medical attendance.
IAYOOB KHAN, THE AFGHAN REFUGEE.
I AYOOB KHAN, THE AFGHAN REFUGEE. Writing from Teheran under date Dec. 30, the ] correspondent of the Daily News says ¡ Ayoob Khan, who has since his discomfiture in Afghanistan been a refugee in Persia, had at first chosen Me»hhed for his residence. The Persian Government, however, at the instance of the British Minister, who urged upon them the necessity of re- moving the Afghan refugee from the vicinity of the frontier, invited him to come and live at Teheran. In compliance with this Invitation Ayoob Khan, after sending his two sons with bis family to Turbat-I- Haidary, a sacred town about eighty miles south I of Meshfced, proceeded with a numerous retinue to the Persian capital. On his arrival here he was presented to the Shab, who showed him much kindness, and granted him a pension of 1003 f tomans (about £ 350) per month. Since tbat time he has been living a very quiet life, visiting few people, and being visited by still fewer. Suddenly some weeks ago, while the Sbah was in Jaijarood, a favourite rrsort for hunting, Ayoob Khan sent him a petition, in which, after expressing his deep gratitude towards Persia, and thanking his Majesty for his bounty, he begged permission to leave Teheran and raide in Bokhara, The reason alleged for this re- quest was that, owing the dearness of living in the Persian capital, he had found it difficult to live without privation but all everything was far cheaper in Bokhara, he hoped to do better there. The British Minister on hearing of Ayoob Khan's intended journey to Bokhara through Khorassan and Merv, represented to the Persian Government, and to his Majesty in particular, all the inconvenience of allowing the pretender to Shere Ali's succession to travel with such a nume- rous suite by a route lying on the frontier of Afghan- istan. In consideration of tbie, it was intimated to Ayoob Khan that he rnwt reash Bokhara by way of Russia. But then the Russian Legation declared that their Government would on no account permit the Afghan refugees to pass through that country. The Shah, considering that those refugees were guests in Persia, and that he could not in justice and honour either detain them or force them to leave the country by a specified route, then gave them permission to travel by any road they chose. On the day after his Majepty returned to the capital Ayoob Khan had a farewell audience. The Persian Monarob made him a present of a round sum of money for his travelling. expenses, and the Afghan refugee left Teheran on the 16th instant, making his first stage at Shah Abdul Azim, a small town about four miles from Teheran. In that place he will stay till all his preparations and those of his suite, composed of 250 persons,^ are completed, and then set out for his destination, Ayoob Khan's apparent intention is as it is given out, to go to Bokhara by way of MeaLhed He will stay in the latter place for a fortnight nhen his sons and family and other partisans will join him Then, continuing his journey, he will stop for a week at Sarakhs, and about a month at Merv, and reach his destination by the beginning of the spring. The pretence alleged by Ayoob Khan for leaving Teheran cannot reasonably be accepted. If he, whilat receiving a monthly subsidy of a thousand tomans, lived with difficulty and privation, how can he expect to live better in Bokhara without that subsidy f Moreover, he could without much inconvenience have waited the approach of the favour- able season in the spring. There was no necessity to undertake a journey of over ninety days' continual march at a time when the cold Is the severest in the plains of Khorassas and Merv. His sudden and hasty departure is differently interpreted. But it is generally thought that, excited by the late discontent which has been shown in some parts of Afghanistan against the rule of the Ameer, Abdur Rahman Khan and encouraged by the disturbances which have broken out in the north of that country, he is going to trSJ once more his fortunes against his lucky rival
ITHE TENIMBER ISLANDS.
THE TENIMBER ISLANDS. At a recent meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, held in London, General Sir J. H. Lefroy, RJL, K.C.M.G., in the chair, a paper, entitled Three Months' Exploration in the Tenimber Islands, or Timor Laut," was read by Mr. H. O. Forbes. When the writer left England for the Eastern Archi. pelago he bad two main objects in view, one being the exploration of tha interior of the large island of the Celebes, and the other to visit and to determine with some certainty the distribution of animal and vegetable life on the then quite unknown group of the Timor Laut Islands, Mr. Forbes, who was accompanied throughout his arduous journey by his wife, paid first of all a visit to the Keeling Islands, and afterwards went to New Guinea. There they were surrounded at once by a crowd of tall, erect, frizzly-headed, well. disposed men and women, who found them most curious objects. It was evident that the natives had but seldom seen white faces. They examined their visitors' legs, arms, and faces, rubbing them gently, and looking at their fingers as if to see if the coloa. was coming off. Mrs. Forbas, probably the only white lady that bad ever trod the northern part of the island, was, however, the great object of curiosity. Some interesting particulars were given of the in- habitants of the unknown region of the Timor Laut. The men varied very greatly in stature; some were short and thickset, and re3ched little over 5ft., but the greater portion were tall, well-formed men of about 5ft. llin., some standing well over 6ft. The women varied in like degree, some being short and thick, scarcely reaching 5ft., while others were as tall as the tallest of the men. In their walk they strode forward in a jerky, bouncing style, which gave to the head a sharp, nodding motion, their hair when combed out behind heaving up and down. Their whole motion wasftJil of grace, but so proportioned were they that it really seemed scarcely possible for them to move ungracefully. The youths were splendid examples of the human form, many of the girls were handsome, and a few were even beauties, with pensive eyes, deli. cate feature?, and faultless contour of body and limb. As they passed into the married state the features became coarser, but on the whole neither sex could bu called ugly. The climate of Timor Laut was one 01 extreme insalubrity, and as to its natural history, animal life, with the exception of birds, was but poorly represented.
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The Duke of Bisaccia, a well-known Bonaparttst, has been elected president of the French Jockey Club by 231 votes out of 236. In Paris, on Monday, a mass was celebrated for the repose of the uoul of Louia XVI., the expenses being paid by certain French ladies and gentlemen, A young woman named Christian M'Lean a aer- *ant to Mr Carnegie, at Ssaton, near Arbroath, has been committed to Forfsr Pn?on on a charge of having ,et fire to Seaton Howe. Daring last week a fir! broke out on separate occasions in three different parts of the ho'is*, but focf r,nately was extinguished in each case befor* much damage bad been done. tV'e r°^«'or of her Majsaty's Prison at Wandsworth -c ired a communication from the H me O to the tg. rt thet the sentence of death pacs<=d npo Gr-o-f e Baldwin for the murder of George Uoare, at Ke; nini top, on the 12th of December was rerpued. Tre convict, who was to have been exe< ;utf>r? on TWert iy, w?,«T at OEC3 Informed that his life was to be spared.