The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

A VERY NATURAL MISTAKE. The Bitualists have adopted the word" Mass" for their celebration of the Communion Service. A near- sighted Roman priest, a stranger to Brighton, mistook St. Michael's for the Catholic Church, where he was going to say a low mass. The two churches are near one another, and both of bright red coloured stone or brick. Attributing the apparent want of holy water at the entrance to the fault of the architect, or to his own near- sightedness, he went up the side aisle, catching a glimpse of a vested priest at the "high altar," and entered the sacristy. Here he asked of an attendant if he could say mass there that morning. The answer was that he could." Now as the priest was unrobing before putting on the chasuble, &c., which were all spread out before him, there enters the sacristy the clergyman fresh from cele- brating, attended by a server," and carrying paten, chalice, and corporal" in as orthodox a manner as could the Pope himself. Now as the priest turned to look at this gentleman, in whom he expected ta find the Paro- chus of the Catholic community, his eye lighted upon three university hoods. Do you wear hoods here ?" he inquired. The clergyman answered that such was their custom. cc I was told," says the priest, hesitating, "that I could say mass here this morning." "So you can," returns the clergyman, blandly. But-ahem- is this a Catholic Church?" "Yes," was the calm answer. "Ah!" aays the priest, "is it the Roman Catholic Church?" <*Oh!" replies the Ritualist meekly, you must go lower down for that,PalZ Hall Gazette,

BRTJTALMURI) ER> Another murder has just been committed near S wau- sea, this being the second which has occurred in the locality within the past two months It appears that an old man, named John Morgan, resided by himself in a small cottage near Velindre, nine miles from Swansea, and within a short distance of the resrevoir of the new waterworks for that town. A dispute seems to have arisen on one or two occasions between deceased and some other men who were anxious to get possession of the cottage, but deceased always positively refused to give up possession or to leave the house. He was last seen alive on the 7th. inst., and, being missed from his customary occupation, some neighbours went to his cottage on the following Tuesday. The door being found locked it was broken open, and the de- ceased was found dead on the ground, death having un. questionably resulted from a gunshot wound in the head. An inquest has been opened on the body before Mr. Edward S trick coroner for the district, but beyond the formal evidence of identification, and that of Mr. Jones, surgeon, of Loughor, near Swansea, who had made a post-mortem examination the body, and who had no hesitation in stating that the gun-shot wound in the head was the cause of deaths no evidence was taken, and the inquest was adjourned. The event has created 'I a good deal of excitement throughout the whole locality. The county police are making every effort to ascertain 1 who perpetrated the outrage.

THE FRENOH GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS. The latest reactionary act of the French Government, in prohibiting the publication of lists of subscriptions for a monument to M. Baudin, who was killed during the coup d'etat, is being resisted with much determina- tion by the Paris newspapers. Notwithstanding the an- nouncement that the Tribune and the Avenir National were to be prosecuted for giving these lists, the Temps of Monday conspicuously prints one, and openly chal- lenges the right of the Government to prevent it doing so. Such a pretension," it says, would constitute an outrage against the law, the patrimony of every citizen, and would impose upon every citizen the obligation of protesting as a duty." Encouraged apparently by this, the Avenir National and the Opinion Nationale of the same evening publish an opinion of three counsel, declaring that the promoters of the subscription are guilty of no legal offence. The Siacle and the Journal de Paris also open subscription for the Baudin monument in their columns, so that almost all the independent journals have now thrown down the gauntlet to the Government. The offending editors are summoned to appear before the Correctional Tribunal of the Seine on the 13th, and several persons who were present in the Montmartre cemetry, when a demonstration took place there on All Souls' Day at the grave of Baudin, are also summoned.

THINGS WORTH REMEMBERING. That in England there is one birth to every 30 persons living, one marriage to every 122 persons living, and one death to every 45 persons living. That according to the marriage registers 22 per cent. of the men and 30 per cent. of the women who marry are unable to write. That the proportion of persons marrying under age is 7 per cent. among males and 20 per cent. among females. That 14 per cent. of the men who marry are widowers, and 9 per cent. of the women who marry are widows. That boys are born in the proportion of 104 to every 100 girls born. That males experience a higher rate of mortality than females, so that if there were no emigration, or if the men and women emigrated in pairs, the numbers would be reduced in the end very nearly to an equilibrium, and the men and women being of all ages would be in the proportion of 100,029 to 100,000 emigration, how- ever, has upset this hypothesis, and the census de- clares the majority to be in favour of the women-that 1s, there are only 95 men to every 100 women, the mean male death-rate in this country per 100,009 of popula- tion, in 29 years, being 2,332 against a female rate of 2,154, so that to every 100 deaths af females there are 103 deaths of males, or of equal numbers living the number of male deaths to every 100 deaths of females is 108. That the rate of increase of population is gra- dually decreasing; thus, it was 18 per cent. in the 10 years 1811-21 in the 10 years 1851-61, it was only 12 per cent., or 1'141 per cent. per annum, at which rate the population of England would double itself in 61 years. That the average age at which marriages are first con- tracted in England—that is, excluding marriages of widowers and widows-is 25*5 years for males and 24'3 years for females. That the average age of hus- bands is 43 0 years, and of wives 40'5 years the hus- band being 2 5 years older than the wife. That to every 100 births there are six children born out of wed- lock annually. That out of every 100 children born 26 never see their fifth birthday; that the births in England are registered in the greatest proportions in the first two quarters of the year; that the deaths are most frequent in the first quarter of the year and that the marriages are most numerous in the last quarter of the year. That the mean after lifetime or ex- pectation of life of males and females respectively, at birth, is 39'9 years and 41'9 year at 5 years of age it is rather more.49'8 years and 50-3 years; at 20 years of age it is 39'5 and 40-3 years at 30 it is 32'8 and 33'8 years at 40 it is 26'1 and 27'8 years; and at 50 it is 19'5 and 20'8 years. The mean age at death for males and females respectively—with which the expectation of life should never be confounded-is, at birth, 39 9 years and 41'9 years; at 5 years of age it is 54'7 and 55'3 years; at 20 years of age it is 59'5 and 60'3 years at 80 it is 62-8 and 63'8 years a-t 40 it is 66'1 and 67'3 years; and at 50 it is 69'5 and 70-8 years.

FATAL ACCIDENT OAUSED BY HOOP- TROLLING. An inquest has been held respecting the death of Fanny Wood, aged 70 years. The deceased went out on Saturday morning, and returned between five and six o'clock in the evening. Her left eye was blackened, and her left arm and side were severely bruised. She said she was walking along on the pavement in the street, when an iron hoop which a boy was trolling ran against her legs, and caused her to fall down upon her side. The old woman became very ill, and was taken to the infirmary of the workhouse, where she died on the following day, death having resulted from the injuries.

BURGLARY IN THE ISLE OF WIGHT. A night or two since Wellington-house, Ventnor, was broken into and a violent assault committed upon the occupier, Mrs. Groves, a widow lady. A burglar effected an entrance through the pantry window, and made his way at once to Mrs. Groves's bedroom. On his entering her room he stumbled against a chair, when Mrs. Groves called out, "Who's there?" She received no answer, but in a second the robber was on the bed, and, seizing both her hands in one of his, attempted to stifle her by forcing the pillow over her face with the other. A struggle then ensued, Mrs. Groves screaming at intervals for assistance. During the struggle the burglar got two of his fingers in Mrs. Grove's mouth, and she, taking advantage of the opportunity, bit him so severely that her night dress, the pillows, and the bedclothes were covered with blood. The servants, who occupied a room adjoining, were at length aroused by the noise, and the cook having obtained a light proceeded to her mistress's room. The burglar immediately jumped off the bed and struck the cook in the mouth, putting out the light she had in her hand, made his way to the sitting-room, and finding he could not open the window, made a dash at one of the large panes, went through on to the lawn, and thus got away. He must have cut himself very much, as blood was traced for several hundred yards. The police were communicated with, and he was apprehended.

DEATH OF A BARNS LEY MILLIONAIRE. On Monday, Mr. John Stainforth Beckett, a gentleman well-known and kindly appreciated for his liberality, died at Wombwell, near Barnsley, in his 75th year. After spending a long time in the Barnsley district, in which he amassed a vast amount of property, Mr. Beckett took a mansion known as The Knoll at Torquay, where he gathered some very excellent paintings. He was a member of the well-known firm of the Becketts of Leeds. In 1780 Joseph Beckett was a large linen manufacturer, and he afterwards became the pro- prietor of some very extensive bleach works, which bear his name up to the present time. Several members of the family became bankers at Leeds and other places, and up to his decease Mr. Stainforth Beckett was largely interested in the affairs of the Barnsley and Wakefield Bank. About three years ago he presented to the town of Barnsley a dispensary com- plete, the freehold and the building. A few months age he proposed adding £2,000 to his original gift for the purpose of making the dispensary into an hospital. The gift was duly accepted, and afterwards ratified whilst Mr. Beckett was in a position to make a disposition of his property. Mr. Beckett died possessed of great landed property, and is believed to have been worth more than a million of money.

THE DENDY WILL CASE. Mr. John Hedges Harris, of Rose Cottage, Feltham, appeared to an adjourned summons at the Westminster Police-court, charging him, for that he did in a certain judical proceeding, to wit, a trial respecting the validity of a will in her Majesty's Court of Probate and Divorce, before Sir James Plaistead Wilde, in which Mr. Heathfield Young was the petitioner, and Mr. Arthur Hyde Dendy the respondent, and being duly sworn and examined as a witness forthe petitioner, knowingly, deliberately, wilfully and corruptly, commit perjury. The facts of this extra- ordinary case occupied 11 days, in December last, in the Probate Court, in which the will of Miss Alicia Dendy late of Feltham, was in questisn. The defendant was a witness for the petitioner, and the jury pronounced for tlip, letter on all the issues. One of the issues was respecting the sanity of the testatrix, and to that Harris deposed that she was always sane. On this point the perjury was assigned. Several witnesses were called on the last occasion, who deposed to acts af insanity. Some more witnesses were on the present occasion examined, and deposed to acts of insanity of these the principal were Daniel Coe and his wife, the former, in cress-examination, admitting that, although an itinerant preacher, he had been convicted for receiv- ing wood his children stole, and the latter admitting that defendant had prosecuted one of her children fox felony. The case was again adjourned,

SUICIDE OF A CITY MERCHANT. An inquest has been held respecting the death of Mr. Joseph Braham, aged 32 years, a partner in the firm of Braham Brothers, of Cannon-street, City, who committed suicide. Mr. Henry Braham said that the deceased was his brother. He was witness's partner. Last week he complained of a pain in his side, which he said had been caused by worry. He did not complain that the money which he had invested in the firm had been mis- applied. He said that he should go to the warehouse in St. George's-in-the-East, and see about sending off goods. In two hours after witness heard that he had died sud- denly. There was a suicidal tendency in the family. His father hanged himself four years ago, and his grandmother drowned herself. The letter produced was in his hand- writing. The Coroner said that he should read the letter to the court, as it was material evidence in the case. It was written in a clear, legible hand, and com- menced "I am in sore trouble, ruin stares me in the face. I cannot encounter it. I have striven hard to stem the current of adverse fortune. A fate has always hung over me, which seems unalterable. When the business commenced a large amount of the (Capital was absorbed for debts and expenses of which I knew nothing, and from which it never recovered-neither have I. What I have suffered, owing to this, no one can tell, and I am quite beside myself, and I know not what to do. God forgive me if I do anything rash. Ever be merciful to my beloved darling wife and children. Ever be kind to them. Would that it were decreed not an ill wind should blow on them. Not a better or more affectionate or more loving wife could have ever lived, or more lovely children. God bless them and protect them alL How unworthy am I of these benefits If ever I do anything rash, judge not rashly of me. The Heavenly Judge judges between us all. My adored wife, I have said nothing to you for- give me. I have kept it to myself. My innocent, darling children, may Heaven protect you, together with your beloved mother. May God bless and protect you all. The Lord awaking will shine his coming appearance upon you. May the Lord bless you, and send you peace. May any disgrace from your husband's fate never rest on any of your children. Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord our God is the Lord of one. Blessed be the glory of his kingdom for ever and ever. The Lord he is God. My poor dear father, as his mind was, so must be mine." Mr. Braham said that the deceased had a delusion about the way in which his money had been invested, but it was a perfect mistake. He also imagined that he was in pecuniary difficulties. Mary Driscoll said that she was employed at the warehouse in Hope-alley, St. George's- in-the-East. On Thursday she saw the deceased writing in his office, and he then looked dulL An hour after she saw him hanging by a cord to a beam in the warehouse. She gave the alarm, and assistance came. The jury re- turned a verdict of Suicide while in a state of tempo- nary insanity."

BENEFIT SOCIETIES. Thomas Marshall, 18, Greek-street, was summoned by George Court for having unlawfully imposed upon him a fine of 8s. 6d., under the rules of the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society. Dissension had arisen among the mem- bers of the society respecting a proposition for extending its operations. The proposition was opposed by the complainant, Mr. Court, and his friends at a meeting on the 27th ult., and the defendant, who was chairman of that meeting, fined Mr. Court 8s. 6d. for disorderly conduct. The 36th rule empowered the chairman to im- pose a fine of Is. for the first offence, 2s. 6d. for the second, and 5s. for the third, and the defendant having called the complainant to order three times, fined him the three sums joined in one. Mr. D'Eyncourt decided that the fines ought to have been imposed separately, and that notice should have been given each time. A breach of the rules was committed. He therefore directed the last two fines to be refunded, with costs.

COMPARATIVE POPULARITY OF STANDARD WORKS. At this period of the year, when the literary season may be said to commence, it is the custom of some of the old-established publishing houees to have what is called a trade sale dinner, at which are shown the forthcoming works ef the season. Last Friday Mr. Murray, of Albe- marle-street, invited about 60 of the leading booksellers of London to dine with him at the Albion, in Aldersgate- street, when the following new works were disposed of -1,800 copies of the late Lord Campbell's "Lives of Lord Lyndhurst and Lord Brougham," 500 Bickmore's Travels in the Indian Archipelago," 700 Mrs. Somer- ville on Microscopic Science," 1,500 "Dr. Child's Be- nedicite," in one volume, 600 Handbook to the Northern Cathedrals," 400 Rev. B. Zincke, Last Winter in America," 1,500 "Dean Milman's Annals of St. Paul's Cathedral," 400 "Sir Neil Campbell's Journal at Fontainebleau and Elba, 1814-15," 1,200 "Principles at Stake, or Essays on the Church Questions of the Day," 500 "Reed on Iron Shipbuilding," 450 "Smith's At- tractions of the Nile," 1,200 "Student's Manual of Modem Geography," 500" Whymper's Travels in Rus- sian America." Mr. Rassam's Narrative of the British Mission to the Emperor Theedore" was not in a sum- ciently advanced state to be shown. The following popular standard works were sold :-12,000 Murray's Students' Manuals," 900 "Lord Byron's Works," 700 "Lord Derby's Translation of Homer's Iliad," 2,000 Dean Stanley's Works," 550 Dr. Smith's Bible Dic- tionary" (3 vols.), 700 "Dr. Smith's smaller Bible Dictionary," 9,000 Mrs. Markham's Histories," 200 Grote's History of Greece," 4,000 Smiles' Popular Biographies," 400 "Murray's Series of Choice Travels," 7,000 Smith's Classical Dictionaries," 900 Hallam's Histories," 8,600 Little Arthur's History of England," 16,000 Dr. Smith's Greek and Latin Ceurse," 500 "James Æsop's Fables," 400 "Barbauld's Hymns," 5,000 "Dr. Smith's Smaller Histories," 400 "Darwin's Works," and 800 Lyell's Geological Works."

DEATH OF MR. HARRISON, THE SINGER. Mr. William Harrison, the well-known tenor singer, expired at his residence in Gaisford-street, Kentish- town, on Monday last, in the 55th year of his age, from dropsy. For many years he tried unsuccessfully to establish a permanent English opera on the London stage, and, in conjunction with Miss Louisa Pyne, in the management of Covent Garden and the Lyceum Theatres, produced many well-known lyric works. It was to Mr. Harrison's enterprise that the public were indebted for the excellent English versions of Dinorah and The Domino Noir, both of which were placed on the stage with much completeness. A benefit took place at Covent Garden, on the 27th ef July last, in aid of the deceased artist, at which most of the members of the theatrical profession assisted, but the beneficiare. was then too unwell to appear.

BVERY HUNDRED YEARS. The text books of physical geography do not take notice of the recurrence of an earthquake in Peru in the 68th year of every century. An American contem- porary states the fact, and it is curious to see how he makes good his assertion The first earthquake on record in Peru occurred in the year 1568. A century after, on the 23rd of April, 1668, at half-past 6 a.m. Arica and the towns within its jurisdiction were destroyed by an earthquake which extended its ravages to Arequipa." So far the progress is very smooth, but there was no earthquake in 1768, and our contemporary's theory might seem in danger. He is, however, equal to the occasion The year 1768 passed off without any unusual phenomenon but the great earthquake of the 13th ultimo, at a distance of two centuries from the last mentioned, may very well count for two.

DEATH OF A YOUNG LADY FROM POISON. An inquest was held at the Yorkshire Grey, Leyton- stone-road, Stratford, on Monday evening, on the body of Miss Clara Jepps, aged 22. The deceased, who was very respectably connected, lived with her brother and sister at Caroline-villas in the above neighbourhood. On the afternoon of the 2nd inst,, she was left alone in the house, and on the sister returning at about six o'clock the deceased wa sseen to be writing. She then went up- stairs, and on the sister hearing cries she also went up, and found the deceased lying on the bed insensible, and black in the face. Medical assistance was seon pro- cured, and on the deceased slightly recovering she admitted that she had taken "vermin" powder. She shortly afterwards died. In the room was found a paper which had contained a kind of bluish powder, and it transpired that she had been endeavouring to purchase some "vermin killer" in the neighbourhood, but the shopkeeper did not keep the article. It was stated that the deceased had an attack cf brain fever about two years ago, and had been very strange and desponding ever since. On the previous Sunday a funeral passed the house, and she remarked that a great many were going home before Christmas, and she did not care if she were going home too. Dr. Tidy said he had analysed the contents of the stomach, &c., and detected the presence of strychnine, and he was of opinion that the deceased had died from the effects of that poison. The jury re- turasd a. verdict in accordance with the above facta, 4

Extracts from Our Comic Journals, (From Punch.) TOAST OF FEMALE SUFFRAGE.—The Chignon at the Poll. HIGH CHURCH NOTE.—The Ritualists bow to the East when they're in the Vest. To THE THOUGHTFUL.—Not every man can grow coffee who has coffee grounds in his cup. GREATNESS HAS ITS PENALTIES.—It requires some previous instruction to perform the duties of the Ninth of November properly. As a rule, the Lord Mayor is coached up every year. CANDIDATES FOR THE COUNTY CRop.-Cads, intending to satirise chignons, have taken to insult ladies in the street by crying, I'll have your hair!" It never occurs to them that their own hair will, perhaps, be shortly taken by the shaver to the House of Correction. POEM TOR A RAILWAY PLATFORM. Ideas, intn trains of thouglit By running, hurt no brains- Not so when passengers are brought To grief, by luggage trains. Too BAD.—The brigands, a week or so ago, took off Mr. Campbell, Vice-Rector of the Scotch College in Rome. Mr. Campbell was returned by the brigands, on compulsion, safe and sound. Now what was the observation of the Times Correspondent on this matter ? Why, will it be believed, an unfeeling pun; he actually wrote to the leading journal to say that Brigandage in this province is not killed, though Scotched." We shouldn't ha' thought it of him. BOOKS NOT YET IN THE PRESS. A Spendthrift Tight. A novel, by the author of A Screw Loose. Fish all Alive. A tale of thrilling interest, by the author of Dead Sea Fruit. Hate the Forgiver. A romance, by the writer of Love the Avenger. Gone to See. A sensation story, by the author of Rim to Earth, The Death Struggle. A sequel to A Fight for Life. BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A FENIAN PRISONER. Well may the Fenians raise the cry against the Saxon tyrant. Read the Cork Herald Mrs. Mackay, the wife of Captain Mackay, the Fenian convict, has had two interviews with her husband in Millbank Prison. She seemed well satisfied with the treatment her h us- band was receiving. Mackay was comfortably clad, and had become so stout that she did not recognise him until he spoke." Here is a theme for the Fenian press in America: The brutal wretches who have incar- cerated our patriots, cram them, like turkeys, until their glorious and godlike figures are destroyed, that they may hold them up as ludicrous monsters of obesity. But we tell the haughty Saxon that, when we regain our hero, we will soon starve him down into heroic mould and when he comes with banner, brand, and bow, as leader seeks his mortal foe, the Governor of Millbank shall expiate, on coals of fire, the tyrannic cookery which has fattened our Mackay." A PLAINT BY A P'LICEMAN. I am a p'liceman bold and true, Stand in my highlows six foot two Yet what d'ye think I has to do ? Hoop de dooden doo. They bids me chivy little boys, And grab their hoops, them harmless toys, Which gouty gents they much annoys Hoop d ooden doo. I muzzle dogs, both great and small, Stop little boys from playing ball, Or move away an apple-stall: Hoop de dooden doo. Meanwhile garotters plays their game, And roughs they also do the same The public cries, Oh, what a shame Hoop de dooden doo. The streets are quite unsafe, they say, You're roboed and mobbed in broad noon day, But little boys they mustn't play With their hoop, de dooden doo. Well, if from growls you can't refrain, It aint of us you should complain, You've got to thank Sir Richard Mayne. Hoop de dooden do. (From Pim.) THE Top OF THE MORNING." -A good spin before breakfast. BETTER THAN WAITING FOR A TURN OF LUCK.— Turning an honest penny. How a balloon ascent should be described-In inflated language. You rarely find naval men at a civic banquet. Is this due to their wholesome dislike of stowaways ? CONVIVIAL THOUGHT.—The Englishman's arithmetical exercise.—" Three times three"—with three more for the ladies." THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY.-The reception given to strangers at the Stock Exchange. SUITABLE and, just now, seasonable domestic exercise for rrospective Benedicks.—Nursing—a cold. WHY ARE PLUM-STONES LIKE MILE STONES ?— Because you never meet with them in pairs (pears). WHY IS A PROCLAMATION LIKE EIGHT DRACHMS ? —Because it an-ounce-is. IN what English county should our American cousins find themselves most at home ?-In Surr ee, of course. WHERE those pests of the concert-room who are ever clamouring for encores should be sent.—To Sing-Sing. MAY BE TAKEN FOR GRANT-ED.-That there has recently been a "general" election in America. TILL-Y VALLEY I-Prize ploughing matches should be discountenanced they have, we fear, led many a young man to have "a hand in the till." A CATTLE-SHOW THOUGHT.—It must be evident to the meanest capacity that the reason why our British farmers—bless 'em !-are of so portly a presence, is- because they grow fat. ENOUGH TO RAISE ONE'S GORGE.-On the memorable 9th inst. gorging was naturally the order of the day in London, so much so that immediately the procession had oassed every 'bus, hansom, and cab were crammed. WINTRY WARNINGS. Two signs there are-two signs which tell That winter's coming, plain enough 1 The one-it is the muffin- bell, The other is-the belle in maff. BEETS TO THE SWEET."—The New York Tribune remarks Beet sugar is the child of protection, but has now outgrown the need of parental nourishment." This would seem to be a complete answer to those who wish to abolish flogging at schools. If beet sugar is so im- proved by the process, it is clear that to spare the rod is to spoil the child. It may, however, be urged on the other hand that sugar at its earliest age is supported by the cane. (From Judy.) A DREAM. Respectfully dedicated to all the London Managers. I dreamt a dream-methought I saw The King o' Scots with Pindee SiizgA- A Charming Pair, and with them Leah, All joining in the Highland fling. Lucrezia, Borgiv with a scowl; She'd come Up for the Cattle Show, Stalk'd off to catch The Married Rake, And strike the villain Blow for Blow. Then Monte Cristo next appear'd, Who said that really, After Dark, Should Married Daughters out be seen, What would Society remark ? Atchi, the Ticket-of-Leave Man, sneezed, Who with the Rightful Heir was Walking; The Lancashire Lass do I behold, And with a queenly Stranger talking. I next saw on The Widow Hunt The Mistress of the Mill proceeding Two Loves and a Life, she faintly cried, Land liats and Water Rats not heeding. What more I might have seen, who knows ? Fresh horrors o'er my brain kept creeping; But I awoke, and found myself But I awoke, and found myself Upon a pile of play-bills sleeping. A REGULAR SBINE.Sunshine. THE BEST WAY TO CURE A COLD.—"Wine- Whey TEE WINTER'S TAIL."—The beginning of spring. THE YELLOW PASSFORT.A sovereign. FALSE DELICACY.—Mock turtle. GIVE IT U P. -Do ti railway sleepers" sleep in the chairs ?" THE LATEST FASHION.—Night-caps. A CLOTH- WOBKER.-A clergyman. BY A BOlUUD OLD BACHELOR.—A screaming farce —A baby. ° A NA.TUIIAL "SEQUIT-uIt.When the "wine goes round freely," the head generally imitates the exsmple > THAT'S ABSURD L—What is ? Why, the notion of a correspondent, that Wenham Lake ice is weighed in a sliding scale LUCKY FELLOW !—The papers tell us that Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton is shortly going through the Bankruptcy Court for £ 70,000. Now this appears to be a very outside and fancy price to give a man for performing such a simple operation. Manv a better man would do much more for much less.

THE OPENING OF THE NEW MEAT AND POULTRY MARKET. The gentlemen comprising the Markets Improvement Committee, with Mr. Horace Jones, City architect, and Mr. T. Rudkin, chairman, met on Thursday at the werks how in the course of completion at Smithfield, for the purpose of making arrangements for the opening of the new meat and poultry market. The ceremeny is fixed to take place on Tuesday, the 24th inst., and will be inaugurated by a banquet, for which purpose the central roadway will be elegantly fitted up. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having expressed his ina- bility to be present, the Lord Mayor has consented to preside on the occasion. On the 1st of December the market will be opened for public business.

STRIKING HISTORICAL REVELATION. 4 A highly panegyrical memoir of the public life of the late Count Walewski appeared last week in the Journal des Dibats. We extract from it the following curious, and, as we believe, hitherto inedited page of history, which we commend to Mr. KAnglake's attention, for the next edition of his famous chapter on the Second Empire. On the 2nd of December, 1851, a new revolution took place in France, and extended from Paris throughout France. France received a new republican constitution and the Govern- ment of the Republic was entrusted for ten years to Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte. Coant Walewski had to make these changes acceptable to the British Government. At first he met with no difficul- ties. In 1851 the English Ministry was presided over by the Marquis of Lansdowne; Lord Russell was the Premier and Lord Palmerston the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Cabinet accepted as an accomplished fact the Government of France in its new form, but at the end of the year 1852 M. Walewski had to deal with other Ministers. Lord Derby was at the head of the new Cabinet, of which Mr. Disraeli was a member, and Lord Malmesbury was at the Foreign-office. If the sole object of M. Walewski's mission had been to make the substitution of the Imperial Government for the Republic acceptable, he would have met with no resistance; Lord Derby and his colleagues would have acted like their predecessors, and in conformity with the constant tra- ditions of their country, they would have recognised the Empire and the Emperor but it was insisted that this Emperor should be recognised under the name of Napoleon the Third, and it was this that the English i Ministry were unwilling to admit, because," they said, | "to do so would imply acquiescence in the govern- ment of the Hundred Days, and an approval of the acts of that government against which England had always protested, in common with all Europe." Such an objection as this, from such a quarter, was of a nature to become a serious embarrassment. Count Walewski did not hesitate. He made the question of immediate recognition of Napoleon III. without re- striction a question of peace or war, and he succeeded in exciting public opinion in England, where the abstract principle invoked by the English Ministers was little ap- preciated, but the effect of a war with France upon com- mercial affairs was contemplated with extreme anxiety. This anxiety found its way into the House of Commons, and the existence of the Coiservative cabinet was en- dangered. Count Walewski took advantage of his ex- cellent social relations, to obtain within twenty-four hours the pure and simple recognition (of Napoleon the Third) which was so anxiously desired in Paris, where it was received as a pledge of security and peace. The whole merit of this prompt success belongs to Count Walewski, who owed it, no doubt, to his skill and energy, and in some degree also to the advantages of his personal position. The recognition of the Empire and of the Emperor Napoleon the Third by England in- duced Austria and Prussia to follow the example, and determined shortly after the recognition by the courtof Russia.—Express.

THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. On Saturday a new Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh was elected, Mr. Carlyle's term of office having expired. The proceedings excited a good deal of interest among the students, on whom the power of election devolved. Active canvassing had been going on for some time by the supporters of the respective candi- dates-Mr. Moncreiff, Mr. Raskin, and Mr. Lowe-and numerous meetings had been held. The polling was between the hours of eleven and one on Saturday, the polling-booths, which were in the class-rooms of the Uni- versity, being each under the superintendence of two Professors. During the day, at the entrance to the U niver- sity and in the quadrangle, some slight conflicts arose between the different parties, and peas and small bags of flour were freely thrown about. Mr. Lowe's name was withdrawn after 80 votes had been polled for him, and his supporters issued the following statement:— Mr. Lowe having been withdrawn after the first quarter of an hour by a majority of his committee, the votes recorded as the result of the poll must not be taken as showing the number of his supporters." Shortly after one o'clock the result was declared as follows :—For Mr. Moncreiff, 607 for Mr. Ruskin, 425 I —majority for Mr. Moncreiff, 182. The announcement was received with loud cheers by Mr. Moncreiff's friends, who afterwards met in their committee-rooms, when congratulatory addresses were delivered. Mr. Omond, tlte chairman, said that, in spite of the most strenuous opposition, they had put Mr. Moncreiff at the head of the poll, and he was sure that in doing so they had done a real practical benefit to the University. They had shown that they preferred solid merit to a mere name. He believed that Mr. Moncreiff would not only be an honour to the University, but a practically useful Rector.

ROSSINI'S STABAT MATER. Rossini was some 40 years ago in Madrid, and was re- ceived like a king (a king of thosa days, not these) by an archbishop who lodged him in his palace, and treated him as a superior being. When the maestro was going away, he said, Most illustrious and most reverend of the regents of heaven, what can I do to prove my grati- tude for your hospitality ?" The priest pondered One thing you, and you alone, can do for me-write me a service." "Impos.<:ible," replied the composer of II Barbiere. With the memory of Pergolese before me, I cannot touch sacred mueic." He was over-per- suaded, however, and in a few hours returned with the MS. of the St"t Mater. Years elapsed, and the good priest died. In looking ever his papers, the executors found this manuscript and took it at once to a Paris publisher to see if it was worth anything. "Worth anything! exclaimed M. X- "why, it is an original composition of Rossini'^ and here is his signature So he bought it and adver- tised it Rossini saw the notice, and sent a lawyer to the publisher to threaten an action for defamation of character. But it is his," said the publisher, in answer to the declaration that Rossini had never written such a composition. "I have the MS. in his own writing." Then came Rossini, who, on seeing it, said, Ah, yes, I see it is mine please give me the rights of the author." On being asked by a friend of mine if this was true, Rossini said, Yes, I quite forgot it; you cannot remember all the foolish acts of your youth."

VELOCIPEDES. Velocipede building now forms an important branch of trade in France. There are not only manufactories of these new locomotives, but there are foundries where the iron work of which they are composed is cast. One of these employs 259 workmen, and finishes off 12 velocipedes per day for a coachbuilder of Lyons, who sells them at the rate of 20 per day. An expert driver can do ten miles and a quarter (that is, 16 kilometres) in an hour, but the average rate of travelling is 10 kilometres in the 60 minutes (that is, six miles and a half), and with the same fatigue which would be experienced by walkirg at an ordinary pace during that time. The effort a man makes to advance three feet will carry him nine feet and a half forward on a velocipede, but naturally on condition that his machine is well- built and works easily. The ordinary price of a good one is £ 12. A Lyoriese velocipedest is willing to take any bet that he will beat the fastest trotter in a race. The aquatic velocipede may be seen worked on the lake of the Bois de Boulogne by a gentleman, who appears to make his way through the water with con- siderable ease, and as rapidly as a single oarsman would in a boat. In the streets of Paris no person now takes the trouble of lookmg at these new locomotives, so l numerous are they, and so commonly to be seen whirling aWIiY amidst a net work of omnibuses, carriages, and the t usual •cncrrmbrement of a crowded city. Prince Achille Murat is the chief adept in the art of rapid driving, and much given to the exercise.-Star