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--THE FEMALE CASUAL AND f…
THE FEMALE CASUAL AND f HER LODGING. r "—Tiie following interesting sketch of "T-tofe'Female Casnal and Ber Li'ifrncr," is exiracied from the Standard which Journal thus remarkl:- Until the publication of A Night in a Workhouse," there was a very general ignorance both of the char- acter of the vagrant poor, and the treatment they re- ceive in the casual wards. Inspection was indeed provided by the law, but it is surrounded by enormous difficulties, because the moment a visitor appears the authorities are on the alert, and the poor themselves put on their beet behaviour. Association on the foot- ing of equality is. as necessary to secure the confidence of the vagI ant as it is to disarm official caution and considerable address is required to pass through the wards without arousing the suspicions of tl>e policw anJ the attendants, and without exciting the jealousy -and anger of the paupers themselves. Now, if the diffi- culties were great in ascertaining the character of the male casual and the treatment he receives, how much greater will they be when the females are in question. A gentleman having dressed to the part, descended- from his brougham to the dirty gruel, and assuming the air and character of the casual himself, passed safely through the wards with litte chance of insult, but no lady could be found to imitate the act, and if the attempt were made no rags would disguise her character, no acting would conceal her disgast; dis- cov&yVould be all but certain, and one can scarcely te'l^vhere the disagreeables would end. Nor is it pos- sible to. appeal to the casuals themselves. They are suj<i>jcfeu8 their contidence is not easily obtained by BtraSgers of a d ffe?ent class, and the chances of ascer- taining the truth would be still less if you were to at- tenlpt to bribe them." Nor are tie officials and attendants to be relied upon. They natiirally put down all their tramp visitors in the fame category,, and will describe them all as utterly worthless,;2n order to justify the harsh manner they too tommonly use towards them besides, they are far too teadyto inakte things agreeable to their auditor, in the hope of getting his good opinion or some other re- compeDBe. One might look in vain, therefore, for a person qualified to visit the haunts of these female Bohemians; she must be accustomed to dirt and rags, and hardships must be no novelty to her. She should be one yjhohaa slept without abed upon the floor, who has dined upon a crust of bread, and by a course of Buffering has been prepared to endure misery of the very—lowest kind without a murmur of complaint. Yet with aU this she must be sufficiently familiar with cleanliness.- honesty, and plenty to be able to con- trast the condition of the vagrant with that of the in- r dustrioua pooiy Cleverness, courage, and tact would be rt quired, moreover, to evade the scrutiny of the p<>licti and the eharp eyes of workhouse officials ever Ueadjjto- pounce upon those whom they regard as im- postors;, fend besides this. there must be a real good nature, which is the only passport to the hearts even of the most abandoned, and the only means of ascer- taining the true character of these most degraded Bpecimens of their sex. Some of these qualifications are evident in the follow- ing communication, which we have received from a pauper widow to whom we have been able to render some slight assistance, and who volunteered to visit thepe wards for the purpose of describing them. Without being prepared to vouch for the truth of every particular, we believe the picture given to be substantially correct. We have since visited the wards described, suffice it now to say that the d^scttftttoiis of the places are most exact, aiid of the offi.cialssmo*t true. We- have been compelled to softefidiMjn tnuch of the language, which was too gross foy^Jjeation, and an a poll gy-for its character may still bethought .necessary; but it was impossible to convey an idea of the misery necessarily endured by a respectable Voman in real distress, without giving the language of those into whose company sh'e is forcibly thrown, in considerable detail; indeed, the same remark is appli- cable to the whole narration, which shows that we have legalised a.demoralismg institution of the very worst cJa"tI, from which we have taken evey pains to exclude the very objects for .whose shelttr it was primarily deigned. We have done this by importing the assistance of the. police into- a department for the duties of which they are not qualititd, because it is totally Foreign to their ordinary work. They do, indeed, exclude the criminal v\ h'j fears to visit the police- station. but they exclude at tb" same time the destitute poor, who have a remrvi ling spark of self- respect, and who are ashamed to apply to them for that which the law clearly intended to be their right without such a degrading process. Thus, then, there remains o ly an indiscriminate herding together of the hardiest and most impudent vagrants in the metropolis. Who night after night brave the police with impunity, and exist upon the liberality of the law, regardless of ■ anything except their own idleness. Their dreadful language aYjd disgusting habits drive a.way the decent POOl" even more effectually than the police themselves, and we can scarcely wonder that in Bethna1-green an honest woman should prefer to spend a cold December night in the public water-closet rather than enter one of these dens of infamy and filth.
[No title]
We now give the lady'* own version of her adventures, Which is as follows I set out to visit the casual ward at Newington Workhouse on Friday evening, the 13th of July. I put on a blue velvet'.bpnnet, very old and dirty sf'grey .fik-iptvmuch torn,, whiph I have "been ashamed- to wear in ,-tbe streets for some time; and a cloth checked shawl and worn-out boots. I purposely went out as dirty as Lyc'fiiTft; but I may mention it here that I JVaJi re^rded bgj the officials in every case with great (Suspicion- they looked-at me as though 1 were not a real casual, and only let-me through when they had •Seen uiv boots, which appeared to satisry their standard of .distress. Th'is di-esjed, I weflt off to the .workhouse at Walworth about hall-past seven o'clock. I found the former at the"gate "Talking- tp' a' detective, and I asked itrt trrgive me night's lodgings. He inquired if I bad-an'or<Jer; andTl saidNo." He said I must get One at tlie-poliee-sfation, P division, in Kennington- It trook'-me thr;-e-qna*ters of an hour to find it, fmdil bad to wait-itbout a quarter of an hour until the inspector was disengasred. He then asked me my » I" told him Ellen "Stanley; that I was a tailored out of -vPork that I had lived last at had :heen without any fixed residence for *eve|al -days., He asked me where 1 worked, and I told him I was only a .helper, and that my last employer .worked for- some one in the City. He scrutin*sed mi very-fiercely, and wanted to know why I'<samfiTthere, and Etokl hinrl had been to see a friend at Norwood, but was too Sired to get home. He then out the order^. Whilst this rwas going on several men of the force Stood by, attdyne in"particular stared very closely at Hie, ancLthey laughad and jeered at me as if it was fun J one jfras djffejent, and seemed to pity me, for he aaid he was .soffcry he had not a penny in his Pocket for" half a jpint of beer. It was after nine o'clock when I again reached the workhouse door, and ? was obliged to knock very gently because the knocker was fastened down with wire. A pauper °L*ened.vthe ^oor, shut it again as soon as he saw toy order for admission. I waited ten minutes, and a lot of people came put of jhe neighbouring cottages to *tare at me, which they did until the porter let me in. ■He asked my age, and beckoned to a woman with *ouie keys to/taktf ^charge of me, and she conducted to a building ojii the right hand side of^a small yard near the principjd^ehtcjnce to* the workhouse. She gave me a piece of bread, and, opening the door, told me to undress. She waited to take everything "way from me but my boots, stockings, and chemise, ftnd I. made the-rest into a bundle, which she took charge of. I was then left quite alone. The place Was about thirteen ieet long, and seven or eight feet ^jde, with a sloping-roof, in which was a skylight of Six*panes. Over the door was a small opening for ven- tilation, but the place was dreadfully hot, and I tried lD vain to open the skylight. There was a gaslight at One end,-and only a narrow passage between th6 beds -and the.^vall. Tljere were nine: beds arranged in •^Sgden troughs, with sides a foot high, so that when )f)U lie down it is impossible to see the person in the J*xt bed. The beds are made of straw in canvas njc!$8,„wi'th a Btraw bolster, both being very hard. £ here.wre two thick rugs to each bed, they were like horsehair, .and both doubled to the width of the bed. Pue was placed underneath, and the other was used t° cover, and as the beds were so narrow the whole height, of the upSer rug was thrown upon you if it used'at all j there was, in fact, no alternative but ying without any covering on so warm a night. After a time-1 felt very lonely, and began to cry, |or I feared my. visit would be in vain, and very goon Irouble wa^increased by finding that the place was with' vermin,*• and th'kt scores of bugs were run- about thefbed. Fueling: sick and faint I got up *hd Bat_upoii the lend of £ &e*bed, and shortly after- J^ards two" wott\gp.*eame in and relieved my loneliness. ^eoet hpUJrs, and their clothes were not t*ken away. The first was an elderly woman of about Pfty-four years of age, very strong, ruddy and sun- burnt she had a basket with some scraps ot food jj1 it, and a blacking box with Day and Martin's it, which was -filled with cottons, tapes, laces,-and other articles of a similar kind. She .3* literally"cluthed in filthy rags. Her dress con- futed of an old body lining which scarcely reached I rer waist, and a black skirt—she had nothing on else a bonnet and shawl. After taking these off she l'etnoved a series of rags which were pinned in pieces ?°Und ahout her, and as each was taken off she drew 1t. briskly through her hand to knock off the vermin ^ith which everything was covered. She then re- moved her boots, which were without a bit of sole *Hd very old, and her stockings, which had no feet, a Jew rags being tied round the toes to protect them on 'he roacL When she had reduced herself to complete ?idity she commenced to destroy the vermin on her ^dy, the skin being covered with sores and dirt Buch Blade me ill to look upon. j.. The > ther wotnan waff somewhat younger, her out- de clothes were rather more respectable, but under- ^at.h she was quite as bad, and was very soon as ^fked WI the other and. actively «ngaged'in the same vay* When they had finished with thiemselves they ?"gan to pick their clothes, shaking them over the ^<is generally, and turning over the gathers of the ar^set< p) find out what they sought. After a time I |ot a liitle tranquil, for no one can conceive my horror the sight which presented itself,*and which I could help watching spite of all my fear. I asked them ,hat time it was, and they said it was about eleven -JJclock, and I then said, I suppose you are friends, ^ey said, "No, they had met accidentally at the Mice-station." Both were hawkers out of luck. The lounger had no money and nothing to sell. She said s*>e would like to wash her chemise, and the other said L8"e could go to the public wash-house at 1 Jd. an hour, what, said the former, if you have not got the ^°ney. They remained in this way fully one hour *^d a half, and then they shook the rugs and the beds, a great dust, and lay down taltdng to each _j«er in low tones which I .pould not hear. They soon •L^tto sleep, but I was frightened to death. found myself covered with vermin, and in a state constant misery the whole night through. I could J^ther sit nor lie, and I went as near the door as I k^d get,,in order to get a breath of air if one came through the narrow opening I have already noticed, k ^ont vhree o'clock I heard the bell ring, and the > ey turned in the door. Fearing to be found out of Ca aKain forced myself to get in before the woman asae, and I had scarcely done so when she brought in Joman of about 3U years of age, who was tall, strong, iw? al«iost as dark as a gipsy. She appeared under J? jfcflueqce of drink, but not intoxicated, and she giiHenly in the corner, and began to pick over her "dress" as the others had done. She wore a dark linsey skirt, very torn and dirty the body was 'of striped calico, and she said she had bought it for twopence of a workhouse nurse, but she added that they chaffed her about getting it in gaol, which seemed more likely. She said, that fellow that made a bother about the vagrants, he has only given us extra trouble. I came here at two o clock, and they made me go all the way to the police-station for an order • if I had known that T could have got one easy enough on my way, for I have passed them twenty times." Her feet were also encased in rags, and she said "she had not had a wash for more than three weeks." In my life I never saw a human being in such a dreadful state there she sat tearing her skin to pieces, and on her back were sores as large as your hand, which must have been intolerably painful. t'he stencn was ternnc; and, dirty as she was, I was obliged to ask her for a little water to prevent my fainting. She fetched the tin and poured some water into it, and seeing me shiver at the dirty can, she put in her finders to clean it out. I thought I must have died, for I could not touch the water, and when she saw the reason she said, What a fool I am, I forgot what I had been doing," and then she swilled the tin several times, and I took a little and was revived. She remained sitting in the corner until it was day- light and then lay down, and they were all fast asleep when the nurse arrived in the morning soon after six o'clock. For myself, I never felt more thankful than to see the door open and to breathe once more the fresh air, The heat and stench were indescribable, the whole place swarmed with vermin, and the restlessness even of those who were asleep was most painful to behold. The woman brought in my bundle and 1' was soon dressed, but we had to wait for the others, who were a long time putting on their few rags. When all were ready we went through,- the workhouse to the oakum room, which is fitted up with benches and seats all around. It was clean and more airy than the dreadful hole-in which we had passed the night. Here we were served with a pint of oat- meal porridge and a piece of bread. It was- very good, but I could not touch it. The rest Ate it greedily and asked for more, ahd as there was^gome left it was divided between them.Two.men were also brought in to have their breakfast, and. do their work, and as soon as it Was given-cut a great deal of slang chaff began. The tall cwoman especially joked with them, and I asked her how ifrwas that she was always scratching herself. She. replied," All who come to these pi aces have the itch, and are fcovered with ver- min and when I said that I was.clean, she replied, You will not be so loijg, for-the beds 'in these places are all infected." I asked* whether we could not have a little water to wash, and they said, Y ou may have as much as you like to drink, but not to wash' Ah," said she, "I should so 4ibe a bath, for .I ,am ,in a wretched state," and the old hawker said Pi): ;waa a shame that Jthey might not wash themselves, -because i their hands were dirtied by the oakum, and fit.ras'i impossible to«eU her bits ^;lag^t^^ut-SQiling'them^, The young woman advised' me to .stay aaSlong as I could over my work, 'for, she said, it is the only chance pf-maklpg-yourself-clgau. I asked her why, and she explaiired^thit;in the* fields men were often aba'it Snd drove ^oir'a\/ay, and that if you did it in the sti^e^?the<p6lice are down upon you, you are so -jWfctl Jttiyked up." L When the rest left she had not done one quarter of her work, and. even in the presence of the men she constantly turned up her dress to remove vermin. I came out with the youngest hawker, and we tried at several cottages to get some water to wash, but they all refused us. I asked her how it was there were so few, and she said that most of them were in the country, lying out in.the fields. When I got home I was obliged to burn my chemise. I felt very ill from loss.of rest and fright, and thought it was impossible that I could ever again enter a casual ward.
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE. The following extraordinary facts were recently-disclosed on the eccaslon of the trial of a man, a native of Belgium, at the Seine Court of Assizes:— The prisoner was charged with desertion from the army, and with numerous other offences. The accused" was originally a young soldier, having entered the army in consequence of the promise of'a girl whom he loved that she would marry him if he became an officer. Soon afterwards he was informed that his betrothed had committed suicide, and accompanying this sad news was that of the. death of his mother. For the first time, his military life becoming unsup- portable, he thought of suicide, and became distracted in his mind. He was just going to drown himself, but happening to pass by a church he haS met on his road, he entered it and threw himself .at the feet of a priest belonging to the order of the Redemptorists. The rev. father consoled him in his despair, and gave him such encouragement as to induce him to change his intentions altogether. He thought no longer of suicide, but only of desertion. Pending a court- martial, which condemned him by default, he wandered from presbyteries to abbeys, and from abbeys to convents, from Mons to Namur, from Namur to Liege. At length, arriving at. Limbourg, in Holland, he entered the monastery o^ Wittena. Being a great lover of books, the ex-soldier' shut himself up in the library of the fathers, wKere'he drew up an inventory of the works and catalogued;, them. Having there acquired a knowledge of German, he "bade adieu to his hosts, and proceeded tQ Aix htChapslle, where he opened a course of .French, philosophy. His. efforts proved successful. Amongst his disciples the pro- fessor found a lady of great distinction, who protected him and obtained for him' the appointment of secre- tary to a very hisrh-personage in Belgium. L. This modern Gil -las was inclined to terminate his romantic life and advppture& therej when the "cannon of the Alma startled 'SU JEurope. The disectec turned pale as a criminal at'i;his report, and -;be'¿felt athamed of his position. France, was combating] in the East and he was not there. -'He avowed his offencs to" his employer, and implored shim to afford him the means of returning to the ranks-of the French army* Touched by his tears and his patriotic sentiments, the protector of Albert Yuillot encouragfed his project^ and the de- serter re-enlisted at Lille,December 5, 1864,inthe foreign legion as a Beigian-subject. Sveling iteimpos- sible to preserve his nationality with-Jjis name, which was already recorded as that deseftajr, he took the fancy name of Casteville d'AtteneroQe.' Under this name he enrolled himself in the 2nd Regiment of the foreign legion, and embarked iinmediately for the Crimea. Twelve days after his" arrival in,tihe;crimea, in con- sequence of a brilliant engagement.be:was made a corporal by his colonel. VuiUot assisted at the com- bats of April and .May, at the fanfous attack of the cemetery, and covered himself with bibd$and glory- He described most graphically the terrible episode of the nights of the 22nd and 23rd of May, 1855, in his Souvenirs de la Guerre'"d'Orient." Being dreadfully wounded, he remained for about twelve hours appa- rently dying amongst the dead. Transacted to the hospital at- Constantinople, and from therfce.-to the Hospice de Bastia, he gradually recovered, and was at length enabled to move about with crutches. At twenty-two years of age, becoming helpless, .he. arrived at Paris, but being there identified as Albgjjt Yuillot the deserter every door was closed against him: He was subsequently prosecuted for swindling and con- j demned but owing to the interference op his behalf of; one of the Crimean chiefs, who appreciated the courage and heroism of the young soldier; he. was pardoned. He was, however, expelled from France lame and wounded as he was. Having, however, afterwards-ventured into Lille, he was arrested and condemned to 15 days' imprisonment for violating the order of expulsion. Having once more re-enteried France, he succeeded in earning-his daily; bread in Paris by his literary talents. He there pub. lished his Souvenirs of the War," and he contributed to seventeen different journals, great and small. He„was thus obtaining an honest and honourable livelii^&qjd when he received a dispatch informing him that his-father, who was one of the heroes of the siege of Antwerp, was dying. Albert, who; tenderly, loved his parent, flew to his bedside, but he was too late* his father had just died. His grief making him- m; cautious, he was arrested at the grave of his. sire, and was ,brought before the council of-war [held ^it'pe- sancon, where he was unanimously acquitted, on|the grounds ot his filial piety and gallant conduct. In some short time afterwards, however, Albert Vuillot was once more arrested and placectin the Mili- tary Penitentiary at Metz, Tn Consequence of having been condemned in Augusta 1854, through" defatilt^ to five years' imprisonment for having appropriated the military effects which had been, previously: given him. Here his talents becoming known, and hia. general gallantry admired, he even obtained the favourable opinion of the Minister of War, who obtained for him the authority to write for the Moniteur, when he pub. lished some admirable articles on military peniten- tiaries. Being at length liberated from prison, he once more returned to Paris, where he married. Here he was, for the third or fourth time, arrested for his old offences, and, notwithstanding all the extenuating circumstances pleaded for him by an able and acute lawyer, Albert Vuillot has just been condemned to five years' imprisonment. t,I,
~ ?HE~ CR0PS_pF .1866; '
?HE~ CR0PS_pF .1866; Mr. H. J. Turner, of Richmond, Yorkshire, has sent the following to The Times for publication; Again the season has returned to us when our .agri- cultural crops have to be reaped and gathered in, and .when we can estimate with tolerable accuracy how far those crops are likely to meet a nation's wants. I have been recently travelling through various parts of the kingdom, and in the exercise of my professional engage- ments have myself inspected a wide extent of land, and have been brought in-contact with many intelligent agriculturists in various and distant localities, with whom I have com- pared notes respecting agricultural crops; and, with your permission, will report the result of my inquiries and obser- vations lor the use of those who may not have had the same advantages. The weather during this summer has been generally dull, and all grain crops show a want of sunshiue, especially in the midland and northern counties, by the absence of brightness in the straw and by the slowness with which the corn ripens. Great progress has been made in harvest work in the southern counties, where a large portion of the crop of white corn has betn safely carried. Iu the midland counties much of the crop has been cut, and a good deal carried, while in the northern counties reaping has commenced in the earlier districts, none h'«s been earned, and a great deal of grain will not be ripe for one or two weeks yet. It will thus be seen that we are to have a lingering harvest, and I think throughout the whole kingdom it will be a fortnight later than was the harvest last year. The crop of wheat on good land is heavy; on moderate, undrained, aud badly-farmed land the crop is light, and 10 many places much broken down by the heavy winds pre- vailing early in this month. Over the whole country I think the wheat crop is nearly but not quite an average one. What has been carried up to this time is perfectly sound, but mucti of it is not dry enough to grind yet. The oat crop varies very greatly, and is, I think, scarcely an average one. Barley is an excellent crop—above an average,—and in many of the best malting districts the crop has been carried in fair condition. I expect the sample will prove very good. BeaDS and peas are an average crop. The profpect for turnips varies considerably. In some parts of Northumberland they have grown badly, while in Cumberland and in Yorkshire the promise of an abundant crop of this most valuable root is greater than it has been for many years. Over the while country I am persuaded we thall have more than an average crop. Mangolds are very good, and I cannot help thinking our farmers would find it profitable to have more of this root than fhey have lately grown. It can be grown when tur- nips are very uncertain, and when the land is well cultivated and the seed well put in the return on much ground is far heavier and the root quite as valuable for dairy or fattening purposes as turnips. The potato crop is very promising, but very little of tne general field crop for winter use has been taken up yet. Thus far very little disease haa appeared. Tne hay harvest has been a lingering one. Crops were geuerilly good, and when the grass was cut early the hay was easily made, and secured in excellent condition when the grass was cut late, much ef it has been seriously injured. Pastures are everywhere good, and there Is much grass In them. A saddening fear, however, comes over one when looking at some of those beautiful green fields in Cheshire, that part of the luxuriance of this grass may arise from the hnd being too lightly stocked, In cODseqnenceof the ravages of the justly-dreaded rinderpest. In a year like this wet and bad,y-farmed lands show themselves very cOllSpiCllously QY lateness In ripening the crops, and by the appearance of nocks, thistles, and other weeds above the grain, where they are allowed first to perfect and-then to shed their seeds. Farmers, as a body, and old farmers especially, do not move readily out of the beaten course pursued by their forefathers but one clines to the hope that when good and successful examples of cultivation and cropping are brought directly under their eyes they will in time be led to imitate them. in many districts landowners have Introduced improved implements, and have shown by their nse, comhlnad with a liberal application of imported manures, that heavy crops can be grown on what had previously been deemed very moderate land. As I write, I have in my mind's eye several buch instances. In one parish in particular I have, seen for several years the rector cultivating hisglebe farm in the best manner, and showing that excellent crops of all Kinds of root. could be grown when such crops had never been at. tempted beforeand in the same parish one of the landed proprietors—a man of high birth-bal recently devoted his time, talents, ••and money to the same laudable purpose and to my certain .knowledge there may now be seen on his farm of moderate land, in a cold .part of this country and a thousand feet above the level of the sea, crops of corn and roots which fullfequal the cropflon many of our best farms, in the midland and southern counties.
.THE FETES AT BOULOGNE. :
.THE FETES AT BOULOGNE. It is not often that any public procession fulfils its- programme (writes the correspondent of. The Tinies)^ That,-at leasts is out Experience in England, put- I don't think any English visitor, to Boulogne could have anticipated that theTprocessiott generate of Sunday Jto celebrate the formal opening of a cathedral Which,- after works extending over 40 years, has just been sanctified by the ritejof consecration, would havft been- so splendid :#ond imposing an affair as it proved To be." After the military came the pilgrims from the parish of Portel, a quaiitt old fishing village, which form% 80:- suburb of Boulogne. The lead was taken by a crogs- bearer, having'an aeolyte on eac side of him, the. latter being habiteel in bright scarlet cassocks and white surplices, oriottas; then followed a fine body of fisher- men, clothpcfin the uniform, of the French nayy^" As these ladSi like ja,U~other French seamen, have to serve -for stated periods in the national sea force, they are entitled to wear the costume des marins de I'Elat, and accordingly they did rto on this occasion. In their midflt was held aloft a banner of Notre Dame de Bou- logne, whom they have chosen for their protectress next followed a band of still younger boys in plain clothes, one of whom carried a banner, having on it a picture of the infant Saviour. A number of little girls with a beautiful basket of flowers followed, and groups of maidens, one half of whom were in red dresses and the other in white, C%me after them, bearing little emblems of the different prerogatives attributed to the Virgin Mary in "the Rosary" and the-Litany of Loretto"; then more girls, dressed in blue, followed by as picturesque a group as any which appeared in the procession. It was-composed of the married fisherwomen uf Portel, in the ancient costume of their guild, which is a bright scarlet dress, with shawl-pattern handkerchief across their shoulders, white stockings and low shoes, a cap of spotless whiteness, and long gold earrings. After more standards, and a choir chanting the Litany, thee cure and two vidaires of the parish brought up the rear, the former clothed in an elaborate cope or cloak worked in gold, and -wearing his biretta or square black cap, and the two latter in biretta, cassock, and surplice. The parish:of St. Francois de. Sales was next-in order. It, liÁe all the succeeding parishes, was headed by its suisse, or beadle as we should call him in England. The make-up of these functionaries is something that wojuld put one of our Bumbles com- pletely out of countenance. They have a cocked hat of enormous proportions "and wonderful in,the amount of its :plumage; their cpats are more than military in the size of the epaulettes and the quantity of gold lace on the pockets and ,cuffs; their knee- breeches are equal to anything cf !the kind ever seen on a Lord Mayor's footman;, they have stockings and shoes quite as showy as those worn by a cardinal; and in itheir right hand they carry a spear, with the pole of which they are perpetually making a warlike. noise ttpon the ground. One of these elaborately bedecked personages wore a scartet uniform which cost 1,200 francs, or 481. The appearance of the parish of St. Frangois de Sales was different as to details from that of Portel but its general characteristics were the same in respect of the groups of girls, boys, laymen, women, aud the clergy. Many of the parishioners of St. Frangois being gardeners, the banner of the Saint was borne by a body of gardeners, and a grand basket of flowers carried by les dames jardinieres was an object of generaladmiration. The relics of St. Francis, enclosed in a gold reliquary, were placed on a bearer covered with crimson velvet,. which was carried on men's shouKters. < The parish of St. Peter, in which the fishermen of Boulogne mostly Jresidevhad the next place in the procession. There &g&m matelotcs formed a group that would have'toade a capital picture. They were radiant in bright colours and jewelry, and, being a remarkably nne 'set of women", presented an exceed- ingly good appearance in the procession. Therelwas another group also in this portion of the .procession which was not a little remarkable. It consisted of 14 women, all of whomc-havè become widows, within the last twelve months.- They wor-fe Mack dresses, with a coloured sash across their shoulders. Some of them were young, and theic. young, husbands had perished at sea; but one was- very old, and walked with the assistance ■ef a stick. Among-the representatives of the parish of St. Yincent. de Paul, the .next in tire order of Ethe profession, a choir of boys sang hymns wjth exquisite «weetiiess, and occasionally the spectators took up the chant, and it was wafted through the air-with touching eSect. In intervals between thes§ choral hymns the band of the- 3rd Chasseurs performed instrumental pausic. The parishes of St. Joseph atid St. Nicholas, respectively entered a dignified and. graceful appearanee." In these. parishes there are .gevgral convent and other schools, and the young ladies of these-establishments, many of whom are English girls, sent over here.for "their educa- tion, impasted a peculiar, interest to the.proceedings. They were dressed either^n whites or blue, wore" white gloves and veils, and a wreath of choicest!ffwers en- circled-each of their heads. Many of. thent. carried em- blems of the Notre Dame, or of the Passion of the Redeemer, and so multifarious were these corbeilles des fleurs that it may be said there was, not a group with- out one or more of them. Several little companies of orphans, hoys and girls, were marched after the stan- dard of St. Nicholas. All the banners in the proces- sion were handsome.; there was not a shabby one among them, the entire number, large as it was, while most of them were richly embroidered or painted on silk or satin. Following these emblematic inscriptions were carried, to symbolize, the five Joyous, the five sorrowful, and the five glorious mysteries of the, ^Rosary ;of the Blessed Virgin Mary." By several of. tne'parishes the instruments' used in the torturipg and Crucifixion of the Redeemer Were represented-by little ^models,' some gilt and some covered with silver ipaper. fS,iri' tiiese instances one young latly carried two scourges, another ahammerand nails, anothera crown, of thorns, and so on. There was a tolerably large model of the stable at Bethlehem alèo, with a little infant lying in a manger. In one case an angel was- repreaehted in>the fipsh by a pretty little girl clothed in white", and furnishect-with a pair of large blue wings. ThertTWere seye^fl^scfrumental bands in the cortege, and sacred.ransidrtvas performed-during every <portion of the routè. Perhaps nccone factin Oonnection with the whole ajffair is more significant of the perfection with which' it was organ&ed ih*kn~that the dress of every single individual inihe long line was respecta- ble: and scrupulously neat, while* those of all the girls and little children wfire' ev$ £ n elegant. They were of some light material, the prevailing colours being white and blue, but each fair-Brocessibntst wore the colour of the group of which slie formed'part, t No hat or bonnet was wont by any one with the exception of the Suisses, the men andMads who wore the naval uniform, and the military whcr&Gcoippanied the pilgrims; but eyery girl had a veil or a wreath otflowers. By an exceedingly pretty arrangement a bevy of girls in Bach parish carried' what may be. described as a canopy of ribands. In. the centre walled a^bung lady who held up a deco-j rated standard. Frdm$Jie top of &e pole to which j the little Bag or banner was afiixed there profusion of long ribands, of colours variou^M^ihe hues of the rainbow the. end of each of thesfe ribands was held by a young ladyinSuchS manner as that when the group moved a perfect lit1fl€ tent was formed by these many-coloured strealners. After all the parishes came the Cortege Speciale de Notre. Dame, in the following order An association of ladies devoted to the work of administering cojnfort and assistance to the sick po"8r,' ladies of a society for aiding poor churches,; apd yth*e association of the Holy Family." .Those tfete all lay ladies. They were followed by these religious congregations—the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Daughters of St. Vincent de Paul, the Sisters of St Joseph, the Sisters of Good Help, the Augustinian Nuns, and the Christian Brothers. The Little Sisters of the Poor devote themselves to providing' food for a number of old and in- firm people who are unable to do so for themselves and it is a rule of the order that no sister may break her own fast till she has provided the day's food for the poor people immediately under her charge. The sisters call at the different houses, and carry away any broken victuals that may be given to them. Next came a group of young ladies in robes and tunics of white, spangled and fringed with gold, and veils and diadems of white and gold; a group of young ladies in blue robes and white tunics spangled with silver their veils and diadems being white and silver. "The hand of the miraculous statue," enclosed in a highly ornamental reliquary, was carried on a bearer in a space between the two bodies of young ladies, four ladies from each group carrying it in turns. Then came a large model of the statue itself, consisting of a boat, in which stood a figure Of the Virgin carrying the infant Saviour. This was borne by seamen of of the port clad m the uniform of the Imperial Navy. A body composed of the singers from the different choirs of Boulogne followed the seamen, and the rear of the pro. cession was brought up by a boly of ecclesiastics. Two-and-two came the clergy of the' diocess in black cassock, surplice, and biretta, all. carrying prayer-books and chaunting the hymns of Notre Dame de Boulogne; next, in the same order, the canons, looking every inch Churchmen, as they passed in their purple cassocks, white fur hoods, and birettas distin- guished by a red tassel; after them four Roman pre- lates, in cassocks of violet satin and black biretta, but without surplices. Abbe Haffteingue and Father Felix followed, and then appeared the bishops in single file, the first of them being the Hon. and Right Rev. Dr. Clifford of Clifton the second, the Right Rev. Dr. Amherst, of Northampton; the third, Monsignor Boudinet, Bishop of Amiens; the fourth, the Right Rev. Dr. Moriarty, of Kerry; the fifth, Monsignor Gignoult, Bishop of Beauvais, and the sixth and last, Monsignor Lequette, Bishop of Arras. All the bishops wore mitres and magnificent copes, and each carried his crosier or shepherd's staff. As they walked along ::d&. the people everywhere on the route rushed forward, and on bended knee prayed their benediction. Even the little children did this, and mothers held out their babes that they might receive the Episcopal blessing. As Dr. Clifford was the first of the Bishops he had to no through much more than his share of the labour of bestowing benedictions, and to the Bishop of the diocess the labour must have been extremely severe. for he was giving individual blessings unceasingly during his whole progress. The procession came down to the port by not the most leading streets. These it took on returning. On the port it passed under a lofty arch. on which was the inscription—Les Marins a Notre Dame. On its way back it came through the Rue Napoleon and up the steep ascent of the Grande Rue. Here, opposite the church of St. Nicholas, an extremely handsome triumphal arch, composed of evergreens, was raised over the carriage way, and for some distance at either side the street was planted with impromptu palm trees. Arrived at the head of the Grande Rue, the procession passed through the old gate which divides the hia;h town from the low. Over this gate is a statue of the Virgin, with the inscriptions" Patrona Nostra Singularis" and Civitas Bolonecc; Civitas Marice." In the Marche-aux-Grains, the square immediately on the other side of the gate, the decorations were profuse, and here and there was a third triumphal arch. It was composed of evergreens and surmounted with tri-colbur, flags, up the sides and across the top were escutcheons with the letter M." By the Rue de Lille the pilgrims reached the Cathedral again. Though the marching wasnot"once interrupted, the procession occupied an hour in-passing any one point. All along its course .1 every foot of standing room from which a sight of it could be obtained, except that reserved for the pro- cessionists, was covered, ladies Fat, upon every "^balcony, and the windows of all the houses were filled to the highest story. Father Felix preached in the evening to very; crowded congregation.
.DARING ROBBERY.
DARING ROBBERY. On Saturday a daring and extensive robbery of jewelry was committed at Southsea, the residence -of Admiral Talbot. The value of the jewelry stolen amounts to upwards of 1,000l. The admiral's family left the house in the afternoon, and proceeded for a drive in the carriage, and on returning abjut an hour afterwards a case containing a large amount of jewelry was missed from the bedroom, as well as several rings, bracelets, &c., which had been left on the dressing- table. The servants, during the absence of the family, heard the dog barking, but they did not notice anything which created their suspicion. The most reasonable supposition is that the thief watched the family Jroin the house, and then took the opportunity to gain admission into the house; but how this was done is at present a mystery, as the servants deny that any person entered the house while the family were absent, It is obvious that the thief must have been disturbed, as a gold watch and a valuable clock on the chimney- piece were not taken. The case in which the articles were carried away was found in a gravel-pit in Havelock-park, Southsea. It had been broken open, and all its contents abstracted, with the exception of an ivory fan. The thief must hav3 been well acquainted with the house, and it is believed that the police are-in possession of a clue which will bring the guilty parties to justice.
AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY.
AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY. Alexander M'Connell, a native of the north of Ire- land, was a boarder with William Colvin, a wood- cutter, at Olmstead, Ohio, U. S. During the temporary absence of the husband he murdered the wife, Rosa Colvin, and hid her body in a wood-pile, and then fled. On his return Colvin and a friend of his, named Miller, we're arrested, and charged with the murder of Mrs. Colvin and of M'Connell, and their case began to assume a serious aspect, when M'Connell was fortunately tracked and arrested in Canada West. The evidence against him, though purely circumstantial, was veiy strong and he was convicted and condemned to death. Shortly after his conviction he made a detailed confes- sion. From this, it appears that being left alone in the shanty, he took some of Colvin's clothes, and deter- mined to return to Canada. When he was leaving the hut he was met by Mrs. Colvin, who at once accused him of stealing the clothes. "She snatched up: the iron poker, and, placing herself in the door, said I should not go till William got home. I insisted that I would go. She said that she would go and call in the neighbours. I got my own clothes and started to go out of the door when she struck me over the arm with the poker. I laid down the clothes, and think I struck her then with my fist. T t knocked her down. She got up and struck at me. Am not sure if she struck me or not. I seized a stick of wood and struck her—I think on the back of the head. She fell. She jumped up and struck me over the head with the poker. I staggered back against the wall, seized an axe and struck her on the head one blow. She died instantly. When I struck her the blow with the stick of wood she fell, and I kicked her, which I think cut her ear. After she fell the last time I took her in my arms. I was alarmed, and said, My God, have I killed you T (The prisoner here wept bitterly, and could not speak fcr some mo- ments. ) Then I did not know what to do; I thought I had killed her in my passion, and did not know what would become of me. I went outside the shanty and stood there a little while; then [ came back into the shanty and carried her to the wood-pile." Shortly be- fore his execution he wrote the following letter to his wife in Canada — "Cleveland, August 5, ISoO. Mrs. Ann M'Connell,—My Dear Wife,—I will try to write you a few lines, although feeble will be the effort for me to communicate my feetlng3 and the emotions of my broken heart. I have not received but one letter from yon since I have been here. I have Won- dered why you have not wrJtten to me often, for;yon, must know the anxiety I have for our little ones, although I have proved to be an unfaithful parent to them. I hope and trust God will provide a home for you all. My last relluestto you is for you to give them a good education, and not let them grow up in ignorance as their unworrhy father did. I beg you give them a knowledge of the Blble; learn them to^fear and worship Gnd. John, now take a warning from me; one that has protected and caned you SOD. But for this week a Friday I shall be no more on earth, but I pray God to re- ceive nje to His mansions above, where there will be no more Sjn «r sorrow. I wish John to visit hia grandma often, as wng.a. she lives. I will not look for any answer, for I-will be gone by the time you get this news ftom your fated tweband. I will now bid you good-bye \1): prayer is, may God protect you.—ALEXANDER M'CONNELL." v He also had -an interview with the husband of the murdered woman. The interview was of Colvin's own seeking. The two men stood for some moments beside tech other unable to speak from different emotions.. M'Connell readied out his hand and exclaimed, in a choking voice,- Williarn, forgive me." Colvin drew back and refused to give him his hand, saying, If God forgives you I will forgive you." The Sheriff re- monstrated with Colvin, telling him that he was not showing a Christian-like spirit; that God had forgiven the unhappy man, and he ought to do so too. Colvin replied, in a trembling voice, "I can never shake hands with a murderer." M'Connell burst into tears, and, kneeling down at the side of his pallet, began to pray. Colvin then went into the cell, and M'Connell rose, saying, "Won't you forgive me, Mr. Colvin?" "If God forgives you I do," was the reply. "I al- ways treated you well," continued Colvin, and I suffered more than death because of you. My wife was murdered. I was accused of the crime and dis- graced. Nothing but the consciousness of innocence upheld me. I knew if they hung me I was guiltless. I'll never treat another man as kindly as I did you. How I have suffered "I know it, Mr. Colvin, I know it," replied M'Connell; but do forgive me." "I want to see no man damned," said Colvin; "if God forgives you I will." Then, with sudden emo- tion, "Yes, I forgive you as I hope to be forgiven," extending hist hand, which M'Connell grasped convul- sively, and wept more bitterly than before. Colvin then bid M'Connell good-bye, wishing him the favour of Heaven.
A FRENCH ROMANCE. ' '*
A FRENCH ROMANCE. The Paris correspondent of the Court Jowrnaltells the fol- lowing remarkable tale of a change of babies :— It is but just that those who are unable to leave Pari(J during the summer should enjoy the privilege of criti- cism on those more fortunate beings who are disporting themfeelvesj away-from the heat and dust amid which we are doomed to live. And so we begin by wonder- .ing at the %ht heart and gay temper displayed by Madame ——who walks with such unconcern up and dowjai the place at Dieppe in the costume of a sailor '^bqy (yhich-bysthe way suits her admirably), while the ^pgst extraordinary and mysterious trial ever brought -Sgfore the 'Sriliun&l is about to be pleaded—a trial of "Much the verdict- will bring her either joy or despair to the end of her life and render that fancifully-attired, long-haired urchin at her side either a blessing for life, or an object of indifference to the rest of her days. Madame^ whose husband has grown rich in successful speculation at the Bourse, Was but a few years ago in a small way of existence, snd when the /gaily-attired urchin, above mentioned (or some other, for therein lies the mystery) was bora she was com- pelled through poverty to put the child out to nurse, confiding it to one of those couh ry women who come up to Paris in a long covered w%gon, and return after a certain time under the guidance and protection of the waggoner, who receives a certain sumforeach pas- senger, and undertakes to provide for them on the journey. The husband, good honest man, even then shocked at the idea of suffering his firstborn to be sent away from home among strangers, resigned with great reluctance the child into the nurse's hands, and after having seen her depart with the strictest recommenda- tions to care and attention, returned home full of de. spondency to tell his wife with what disgust he had beheld the long jolting cart and the eight countrywo- men it contained each with a child of her own and a strange nursling at her bosom. But the giddy" young wife laughed at his apprehensions. >- £ 11 her friends had resorted to the same means for obtaining freedom from the worry and restraint of a baby in the house—no accident had ever happened— the children had returned home quite as much like their fathers as they were before—and having com- forted herself with these reflections she left him to seek his consolation where he would be most likely to find it; and this proved to be in no relief near at hand, for as he laid in bed and tossed about while the wind blew and the rain pattered down, he worked himself up into such a state of excitement that be could bear it no longer, and rising at once dressad himself-and stole out, resolved to follow the waggon, which of course travelled at a snail's pace, and onovertakingit to bring back the child to its mother, and regain his own peace of mind coutequecoute. The cabriolet he hired for the purpose overtook the waggon just at its first ha t at a village inn by the road-side, beyond the Barriere de Fontainebleau. The little inn was much frequented by carters and waggoners of all sorrf), and many of their vehicles were drawn up around the door while the horses were resting and the drivers drinking and gambling within. The long covered cart belonging to the nurses was standing amongst them,. and its usual occupants had alighted and gone for refreshment into the inn kitchen, whence shrieks of (mirih, laughter, and every sound incidental to vulgar company broke out with jarring effect upon the night. The father rushed into tho room; the carters and the nurses were diinking together in free and easy fashion. The babies had all been left com- fortably arranged upon the respective bundles on the billiard table of the grande salle. The wretched man, full of bitterness and indignation, drove the fa-ithlojiH depositary of his infant treasure before him into the room, and there, to his dismay, he found the table had 1 been cleared, and; two or three of the most uncouth and grim-looking of the carters were indulging in a game of billiards, heedless of the low wailings, squeaks, and cries which were rising from every quarter of the hall. At the loud shriek of terror uttered by the nurse all the fellow culprits came rushing in, and great and terrible was the perplexity. No earthly power was there to stamp the identity of any one of the babes upon the minds of the women, who had each taken care to convey her own offspring in her arms to the warmth and comfort of the kitchen fire, leaving the stranger brat to moan with cold and hunger on the hilliard-table, deeming herself sure to recognise her charge by the position in which she had placed it on descending from the waggon. The poor gentleman was compelled to accept the chance child allotted to him by unanimous vote of the assembled nurses, and as each consented to do the same, he beheld no remedy to his misfortune, and returned to Paris with the baby in his arms, resolved to keep the secret to himself and tell it to no one, and, above all, never to breathe a word of the circumstance to his own wife least of all. Not long after this M. —— became a rich man, and, as usual, with riches came trouble. His indifference to his child was wont to excite astonish- ment, in his friends, who remembered how earnestly -he had longed for a son, and some kind of anxious suspicion, as of undiscovered evil, was observed now and then to overcome the otherwise joyful and frivo- lous temper of his wife. But no emotion could remain with her long, and she went on her way, dressing, dancing, and driving, and revelling to her heart's con- tent in the newly-acquired wealth, which rendered her independent of all affection, whether of husband or of child, pr, indeed, of the whole world besides. But M. —— never recovered the shock to his nerves occasioned by the event of that dreadful night, and djed two years ago, leaving his widow as joyous as she had always been, and willing to continue the same merrydife it had pleased Providence to bestow. But the husband, whose nervous system was weakened by illness, confided the terrible dilemma concerning the young heir to his lawyer, who, smelling the battle from afar off, persuaded him to commit to writing the dates and circumstances of the affair, with the idea of secur- ing his property to the "child by will so as to avoid the consequences of any after-diseovery. But death overtook him before the will could be made out, "and the lawyer, nothing loath, influenced moreover hy those Scruples of conscience to which We.JlrU know lawyers- to be subject, waited upon the deceased man's brother to beg of him to withhold all, claim to the property, as he he knew it was the wish of the dying man that it should go to the boy who had always passed for Ms eon! You can imagine the ■result. Notice of process, soom on the part of the lady, who exhibits the contempt she feels by the dis- play of more gay colours and more flashy attire than ever, great perplexity on the part of the plaintiffs on account of the secrecy which envelops the name and domicile of the uncle, immense interest among the advocates, to whom the cause promises the most intri- cate pleading—in short, confusion and dismay, terror and suspicion on every side.
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION TAKING…
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION TAKING A HOLIDAY. The British Association at Nottingham gave: itself on Saturday a few hours' holiday from the drier details of scientific speculation, and paid visits to the various objects of interest with which the neighbourhood abounds. Six excursions, making provision in the aggregate for the amusement or instruction of close-on 1,000 members and associates, started from Nottingham. 250 went to view the extensive coal pits at Nuthall belonging to Mr.-North.. The newly-opened collieries', at Annesley were visited by: a party t)f fifty. The ex- tensive worka at Eastwood of Messrs. Barber and Co. attracted 200 visitorsj 100 others went to view the ex- tensive iron and coahworks at Alfreton and Riddings belonging to Messrs. Oakes and Co, The more romantic shades of Newstead Abbey, con- secrated to the memory of Lord Byron, attracted a large number of visitors, papticularlyof the fairer sex, who not only < Chewed the cud; Of sweet and pleasant fancy" furnished by the many interesting associations of the great poet, which linger yet about its old grey ruins, its cloistered cells, its haunted chambers, and its tapestried bed-rooms, where- Plantagenet and Tudor Kings have pillowed their state*wearied brows, its gardens and its lakes, but enjoyed the more substantial banquet provided by its present hospitable, scientific, and travelled possessor, Mr. Webb. A party, 250 strong, proceeded to Derby to inspect the extensive engineering works of the Midland Railway Company for the construction and repair of locomotive engines, &c. The various excursions started in special trains furnished by the Midland Company, whose locomotives had their chimneys, in honour of the day, one and all wreathed into the sem- blance of floral pillars. DOWN A COAL-Prf. Arrived at their destination, the ladies of the party, the mine not being one that they could conveniently explore, were taken to view some objects of interest in the neighbourhood, while the gentlemen were con- ducted to the large shed where the preparatory operation of dressing for the descent was performed. Here every gentleman found awaiting him. a white jacket such as painters or: pastry-cooks use; with a towel,-viewed by some as an incumbrance at first, but the use of which became apbAeht on their return to the surface. Nothing could be more ludicrous than the change which came over- the excursionists at this point. Individuals who had entered the shed as men of letters, with grave exterior, or possibly 3,3 light- minded and gaily-dressed associates, came out' units in what looked like a clumsy gang~of workmen, with eyery imaginably kind of head-dress, composed-some of, pockethandtterchiefs, some with towels, some with brown paper pinned ,together with a nail, and: there were not ai few who to their fantastic head gear had added leggings of extraordinary fashion. A few, despising jackets apparently, reversed their coats and wore the sleeve linings in^ijde out, but whether the reSult was altogether satisfactory is a matter which -may fairly be open to same doubt. The party thus attired and further provided with short sticks, not without 1;heir uses in passages of small height, then mustered at the "mouth of the pit. Up and d<jwn like buckets in a well, two cages used in lifting coal were alternately ascending and descending, and into this it was necessary for half a dozen members, eight being the maximum allowed under any circumstances, to crowd themselves like ^cattle in a railway. truck receiving on all aides exhortations to keep in their hands, their elbows, or their sticks, any one of which would certainly have received an awkward blow unless withdrawn. Some of the workmen and their families were admitted to-a near view of the ex- cursionists. They kept for the most part at a respectful distance, and did not suffer their remarksto: be too audible but it was easy to see that they were tickled at the inartistic way in which men with great names in science submitted to an operation—to them a matter of every-day occurrence. The Nuthall Colliery is one of the most extensive in England, having, it is said, four miles of underground communications. A powerful engine, centrally placed, works the trains of waggons by means of an endless rope running"' along the ground midway between the rails, to which rope an apparatus resembling a sugar tongs admits of the waggons being clipped on or off at -pleasure. iASthe convoy proceeded, by the aid of the lamps the excursionists had the opportunity of viewing the nature and distribution of the strata. Here and there the soil was of such a character that briok arches of considerable length were needed for its support, at other points-the coal itself made a solid roof-like stone. In some places, all was coal, in others there was only stone to b» seen, or stone faintly streaked with the valuable black line. There was hardly any'water, and, as was^ stated in reply to inquiries, very few fos- silAre found in the mine. A sudden turn in the road was accounted or by a "reminiscence very creditable to the engineering of the mine., Some years ago a break or fault" Was-discovered in the vein of coal which sud- denly disappeared, and,as was afterwards ascertained, leapt up 70 feet How to reaeh.it again was a problem anything but facile of solution-; the managers, how- ever, calculated that by continuing to work upen the level but turning nearly at right angles to the fprmer gallery they 'shpuld meet the vein where it dipped again, and tnilFestimate was justified by the jeesult, though, of courSe, there was a long intermediate in- terval of profitless tunnelling. Time did not allow the party to visitfany of the actual workings, these being at too great sPdiofcance to be reached, but the visitors were shown the Engine-house, thefurnace, the arrange- ments for ventilating the mine, which to all appearance were complete, since to stand still for a few moments was to, nnd oneself in a strong draught. Such of the workmen as were encountered looked strong and heathy, but pale. A pony also, one of many in the mine, did its work alertly among the waggons it, however, unlike the workmen,could never come to the surface. For it daylight had ceased to shine or fresh pasture t@ spring up; it had reached its full growth in the mine no doubt, and there it must needs remain. A short but interesting description of the works was given by Mr. Fowler, civil engineer, who guided the party in their subterranean wanderings; and shortly after 4 o'clock they had ail returned to the surface in perfect safety. When jackets had been laid aside and ablutions-performed, a walk of less than a quarter of a mile aafang the edge of some ornamental water brought the visitors to Basford-hall, the seat of Mr. North, tne owner of the colliery. A more complete change of sceipe .than that which last engaged their attention could not have been imagined. Basford-hall stands -tifi the highest point of what looks like occasionally wooded demesne land stretching away for some miles in extent, the roads in the vicinity being sunk so as to convey the idea of continuity of surface. Close to the house a marquee was erected of area sufficient for the seating at table not only the 250 excursionists, but of at least an equal number of private friends whom Mr. North had invited to meet them. The ladies had by this time rejoined the party, and what was called "luncheon," but what in reality was a very complete entertainment, awaited them. The band of the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry performed at intervals on the lawn, and the proceedings closed with loyal and complimentary speeches of the usual character. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY WORKS. The second large excursion party, numbering 250 persons, visited the Midland Railway works at Derby. These are very extensive, the ground space being about twenty acres, of which ten are covered by buildings. The party was received by Mr. Lewis, one of the direc- tors, Mr. M. Kirtley, the Mechanical engineer of the company, Mr. Kirtley, jun., and several other officers. It was first conducted to the mess-room, a spacious, lofty and clean apartment, devoted to cooking and dining, and containing ovens and cooking apparatus, as well as dining tables and benches. On entering this ■room every visitor had placed in his hand a capitally- executed plan of the wo- kson the large scale of 120 feet .to the inch. This, however, was fairly eclipsed by another, ten yards by nine, and on the scale of a quarter of an inch to the foot, which covered a large portion of one side of the room. Both these plans had been specially prepared under the superintendence of Mr. Newbould, draughtsman, and his staff. Theconsidera, tion which dictated their provisions is worthy of recognition, because they were of essential service to the visitors, in indicating the arrangement of the workshops. Mr. Lewis accorded to the party a hearty welcome, described the works from the large plan, and sketched the rise and growth of the company's system. He also gave some statistics of its rolling stock, and the mileage run in order to indicate the amount of traffic which the works were designed to meet. The company makes some of, but not all, its own engines, it repairs them, and it makes and repairs all its other rolling stock. It has 560 engines, of which 420 are in steam daily; 1,600 carriages and vans, and 1,200 goods waggons and in making and repairing it employs 3,800 men—2,000 of them at the works visited—and pays 220,0001. a year in wages, and 250 0001. for materials. A most interesting fact was stated respecting the mess room. The men have only half an hour for breakfast, and yet in that time they have prayers daily, having instituted the service ot their own volition. They welcome religious addresses, and are visited almost daily by clergymen and ministers. Indeed, they have been addressed by no fewer than eight bishops of the Church of England, and a corner of a stationary engine's platform in one of the workshops has a desk attached to the top of the iron railing which was exhibited on Saturday as the "Bishop of Oxford's pulpit." It is gratifying to learn that the workmen generally bear the highest character for regularity and industry, that great influence for good seems to have been exercised upon those who were at one time regarded as black sheep in a moral and social point of view, and that all gladly avail themselves of the "mess-room "to avoid resorting to the public-house. The love of cleanliness and order was everywhere apparent on Saturday; and although the bulk of the workmen were-enjoying the afternoon holiday, it could be learnt through contact with those that remained that the best feelings prevailed as between officers,, foremen, and: journeymen, and that all were prudently concerned for the general character of the industrial community which they form. After visiting the other portions of the works, the party returned to the station, where, in the share- holders' meeting room, which is over the institution provided for the company's employes, a sumptuous luncheon had been spread, amid all the embellishment which flowers, evergreens, and flags could contribute. Mr. Lewis took the chair; and he was supported by Professor Rogers; Mr. Colville, one of the county members; Mr. Cox, member for Derby; Mr. Glaisher, the Hon. J. C. Jervis, Mr. T. Hawksley, C.E., Mr. Longdon, the Mayor of Derby, Mr. H. Bessemer, &c. In the course of the speeches which were delivered the utmost gratification was expressed at the recep- tion which the British Association had met with in this part of the midland district. The absence of Mr. Evans, M.P., was accounted for by the statement that after a heated session he had gone to Iceland to cool himself. The party returned to Nottingham soon after 7 o'clock, having spent a most agreeable day.
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. "In passing directly from the Austrian to the Prussian army (writes the Military Correspondent of the London Standard), "and from the gloom of the old empire to the high spirits of the aggrandised king- dom, I thought you might be interested to know the impression furnished by so rapid a change of scene. There is as yet only one train a day running from Vienna to Prague, and it is certainly the slowest, though not the most uninteresting, train that ever ran." The correspondent then proceeds to give the fol- lowing sketch of his fellow-travellers :— We had a strangely intermingled group in the com- partment of the carriage which I occupied all day, and before the end of the journey we had dubbed ourselves the congress of the great powers. We had a Russian gentleman, an Austrian (who got m at Brunn), and a Prussianpassenger, of the civil service, who afterwards joined us. JIere were three of the great Powers. A highly-intelligent Bohemian ljidy, Whose mother was from France, was tolled off for. the Gallic empire, and your humble servant represented England. We had a sixth place vacant, and we frequently looked from the doorway-at::each station in search of an Italian, but as we could not observe any one withsumciently black and expressive eyes to fix on as such, we kept near the window, and, -as a matter of fair play, gave no en- couragement to a second Austrian plenipotentiary to enter. The gentleman who qame in at Brunn was, strictly speaking, a Moravian. He was a fine man, a little advanced in life, nervous and fidgetty, and wearing one of those grey Styrian coats with green collar, cuffs, and lining. He began by very kindly informing us., in the quiet, innocent manner of the Austrians, that the sooner the train started the better, as the place and the Prussians were full of cholera. I am tired of hearing of people's deaths, and lam going to Prague to avoid the disease for a few weeks." The Bohemian lady mildly hinted there were reports that many were also dying at Prague. The old gentleman put a new match to an old cigar and shook his head and moved his body uncomfortably. I wish very much, Madam, you would not tell me of such things; what matter about anything if you do not know it?" "But I suppose you would be told?" There you mistake. I go to an hotel; do you think the master of that hotel or the waiter or the boots will be ass enough to tell me there is cholera in the place?" "Well, I suppose not." He added, with a good-natured smile, My dear madam, you have spoiled all my arrangements. But do not apologise; it is really of no consequence; it is quite the same to me to go on to Dresden; and now. madam, do me one favour; if you have heard the disease is in that city for heaven's sake don't tell me." It at once occurred to me that this fine old gentleman of the green collar was much of a character. So I asked him it these rapacious fellows, the Prussians, did much mischief in his part of the country. He liked the word "rapacious," and looking cunningly at me for a moment to see if he could trust me, I dare say he thought me honest, for he began with reddened face and angry eye a catalogue of his grievances. You ate:an Englishman, Sir ? Yes." Well, there was a countryman of yours the other day at Brunn, writing for some paper my chateau is near, and I went into the-town three times to see him in order to tell him true facts of how the villains behaved: but I could not find him. and I was too afraid of the cholera to go there agam. I do not exactly mean afraid, though I say so but I hate the disease because it is a part of the Prussians. On that account it would be a double death to me to die of it." I tried to bring him back from the cholera to the Prussians. How many did they billet on you ?" Two thousand!" Oh, nonsense; excuse me, sir, but really you could not have-been asked to put up that number." "But I was." "What! not in your house?" "Why, not exactly in my house, but in the outhouses and barns." But even these could scarcely have contained so great a number," Oh! they were also in the neigh- bouring hamlets." A great number even for that." "It is true they were in two large villages, and also some of them in the suburbs of Brunn." Thus he ac- counted for the 2000 men. He suddenly shouted out as if I was deaf. Do you know we had to feed them, too ? And such appetites he added, in a lower key. I suppose they left you nothing ?" What could men leave with such appetites ?" 1 heard the old man muttering something between his teeth about "eggs," and I chanced the question, I believe they are great fellows for eating eggs ?" The devil, sir You have no idea of it. The first day the captain came to me and said what are you going to give me to feed on, old fellow ? I have had only three hearty meals since Koniggratz, and that's ten days ago." Would you like eggs, Herr Captain ?" Amazingly; get them at once." How many shall I send you, Herr Captain?" Let me see I do not like to bear hard on you to- day twenty will do now, and you can give me a few more for supper." "Twenty!" "Aye, twenty." I brought the eggs with my own hands from curiosity, bocause I had a half idea that he was quizzing me, or was an amateur in chickens, and wanted to get them hatched: Here are the eggs; probably you would like an omelette with some of them." Some of them! I'm going to eat them all." In an omelette ?" No." "Boiled?" "No." "How then?" "Raw." Would you believe it, sir, you a civilised Englishman, that the great huge fellow before five 'minutes, and before my very eyes, sucked every egg of the twenty." We laughed heartily at the poor man's horror, myself by no means surprised that a poor fellow marching for a week on short commons should make one strengthen- ing meal when he got it. At this time the Prussian gentleman had not yet entered the carriage. With an excellent feeling of de- licacy hequiokly took soipe indirect means to announce his country, and the old gentleman of the green collar immediately lighted a new cigar and became very silent. I could not draw him out much more about the Prussians requisitions. He gave short answers and would-iay nothing against so dangerous an enemy in the presence of one of them at least. "Surely it is a calumny to say jthe Prussians love eggs ?" I remarked, and the old man was caught by the very transparent bait. It is not a calumny, sir, they do love eggs." Anything else?" "Cigars." "Well, I think the greatest mistake Austria ever made was not to have given the cigars before instead of after the campaign," slyly re- marked the Bohemian lady, "for they never could have won all the battles if they had smoked so much bad tobacco, and the Austrian officers might have done something if they had not Btupefied themselves with so much nastiness." The Russian here broke in on the subject of food and requisitions, and maintained stoutly that the people of Moravia and Bohemia were now making more of the Prussians, since they began to pay for everything than they had lost in the com- mencement, and that in the end the country would be more enriched than impoverished. The gentleman of the green collar became furious, and lost all his timidity. He assured us there was not a pig left, or a cow, or a hen, or especially a goose- for be-now charged the Prussians with loving goose more even than egos— from the Marchfeld to the bills of Bohemia. The Prussian merely shrugged his shoulders, and begged of us to look out of the windows for ourselves as we went along. I am sure the old gentlemen only judged by his own neighbourhood and the exaggerations of rumour, because I must say, though I had received the same impressions of universal ruin from my friend's stories in Vienna, that the country appeared-to me, though bare of cattle, to be still provided with many beasts, singly and in flocks, and of geese especially, not to speak of the classic geese of the capitol, which are very numerous, though they may not save it. The country seemed to abound in these birds all along the line of railway, and every pond and sluggish stream had its stock of white feathered bipeds. The Prussian was, of course, sanguine and vainglorious. BismarcK wauld overreach and conquer all before him, and then he would show himself what he is, a thorough demo- crat, carrying out his great views under a mask. Our French representative said she would take hi n a peg next spring twelvemonth, when she was quite well and had her Exposition all over and her soldiers armed with breechloaders. Russia said Bismarck behaved very badly to some of his German friends, but on the whohs he was disposed to forgive him and as between him and France he thought he should join his uncle, unless he went down as rapidly as Austria. The Austrian plenipotentiary—very wisely, I think 1 said he would see either of them hanged before he would join one or the other. As the representa- •tive of England, I regret to say I had to shuffle a little, and observe we could not yet make up our minds on which we should confer our Platonic affec- tions; probably on Prussia but as to material aid why we had outgrown European squabbles, and we had to look to a great rising empire in Australia to a federation of countries in North America nearly as large as Europe, to a lot of islands so numerous that no one knew them except some clever man like Mr. Gladstone, or clever boys just crammed for the civil service examination; that we had things to look after 1 m many parts of Africa, and, by the by, that I had I nearly forgotten to say we had to mabage a liitle I country in Asia with a few inhabitants—some couple of hundred millions or so. This banter rather dis- pleased the Prussian representative, and he made the usual assertion that the sun of England was fast setting, and that she would be bankrupt immediately. This would seem rude to me were it not that as long as I can recollect I have been listening to the same pre- diction on the part of intelligent foreigners. Having got over the potato-famine and the cotton-want since, I do not exactly see that the great fall it) so imme- diate) pending, though I have no doubt it may come about the tune our coal fields are exhausted.
THE LATE INSURRECTION IN SIBERIA.
THE LATE INSURRECTION IN SIBERIA. About 1000 Poles, condemned to penal servitude, who were working at roads At a distance of 100 versts from Irkutsk, revolted during the night of the 6th inst. They ill treated TBeir commander,. Colonel Schwartz, beat the soldiers, bound them with ropes, &c., and took off their coats, which they put on them- selves. Then they attacked a military station, which they pillaged, and marched towards the mills of Pet- rowski and the auriferous sands belonging to the Crown, where a large number of Poles were working. On their road they took away all the horses belonging to the post stages, pillaged and burned down the vil- lages, tore down the telegraph wires, and destroyed the bridges and ferry boats. It is reported that a large number of Poles who had been authorised to settle m that province had joined the insurgents. However they all soon contrived to arm themselves and to pos- sess ammunition. Evidently, everything had been prepared long beforehand by the Polish colonists. The commander in chief of East Siberia, General Kor- sakow, had left some time ago for the Camoor (4000 versts from Irkutsk) for a tour of inspection; the tele- graph being cut off it has been impossible to inform him of the insurrection, but the Governor of Irkutsk lost no time in taking the necessary measures. Besides a strong detachment directly sent against the insurgents, other troops have been dispatched by steamers run- ning on the Baikal, and artillery detachments have been also sent to the pursuit from Verkne-Oudinsk. The imperial troops and the insurgents were already skirmishing. Colonel Tcherniaiew, who was super- intending the road works, was found in a wood, tied to a tree, and badly wounded. The body of Mr. Porokhow, aide de camp to the chief of the staff, and who had been killed by the Poles, arrived at Irkutsk on the 11th of July, with some wounded soldiers. General Kubel, chief of the staff of the troops in Si- beria, is gone to take the command against the insur- gents. Poles, made prisoners, are beginning to arrive here. It is stated that the insurgents, surrounded on every side by the Imperial troops, have retreated in the woods; but they are hemmed in by the troops and volunteers—the latter belonging mostly to the Toung- ouses and Bouriate 3 who are excellent sharpshooters. The town is much agitated, because it contains many inhabitants and employees who are Poles. Foot and horse troops patrol the whole night; in every street are stationed 10 mounted Cossacks and 10 on foot. The heat is excessive; yet no one dares to go from town either to "bathe or walk in the woods. Advices recieved to-day from Oussolie (Crown mills, 60 versts from Irkutsk) announce that the Poles working there have also revolted; likewise in the towns of Kansk and Balagansk. Yet, by a decree, dated 13th of April last the Emperor had considerably mitigated the con- dition of the Poles deported in Siberia. Those con- demned to penal servitude for six years were made colonists; those who were colonists received the permis- sion to circulate freely through the whole of Siberia. It seems that they have availed themselves of this act of clemency only to mutiny, kill, and pillage, for escape was out of the question.
A SUCCESSFUL CORN.CUTTER AND…
A SUCCESSFUL CORN.CUTTER AND THE LAW OF FRANCE. _u_- A corn-cutter, named Louis, aged sixty-one, was tried a few days ago in Paris, on a charge of having practised the healing art without having a doctor's degree. It was conclusively proved against him that he had not only practised illegally, but had illegally and effectually cured a great many people who were afflicted with wens and tumours. The informer at whose instance the prosecution was instituted did not appear, and the evidence upon which the public prosecutor relied was entirely collected from witnesses sailed for the defence. M. Bonaventure, one of the Emperor's Cent Gardes, deposed that he had a large tumour under his ear. he was recommended to go to the defendant, "Pere Louis," Wh9 dressed the place four times with a sort of wash, after which the tumour entirely disappeared. Louis Weiss, formerly a trumpeter in the Cent Gardes, and now a keeper in the Bois de Boulogne, said he had been completely cured in eight days ot a wen which he had in the neck. M. Leon Vrignault, a gentleman holding the respectable position of an attache to the Minister of Marine, deposed as follows:— I had an encysted tumour in the ear about the size of an egg. I consulted three or four doctors, and met with no homoeopathic doctor tried an application, which at first diminished the swelling considerably, but at the end of a week it became as big ai ever. He then told me I had no alternative but to submit to an operation or go to "Pere Louis," who, to his certain knowledge, had cored many ol similar things. I went to the defendant accordingly, and he applied his wash to the part. It gave me a little pain, but did no harm to my general health. The tumour, although less, not having completely disappeared, I again consulted my family physician (an allopathist), and be said that after the results obtained I could not do better than continue under M. Louis. I re-commenced last Saturday; he applied the wash again this morning, and I am going on very well. The imperial advocate, M. Paul Lefebvre, said the witnesses for the defence had completely made out the charge. It did not matter how successful the defend- ant might have been, the acts described constituted essentially the practising of the medical art, and, as he was not qualified, he must be condemned. M. Toursellier, counsel for the defence, submitted that to remove a tumour or other excresence was no more practising medicine than cutting a corn. He proceeded to give a truly marvellous account of the way in which his client had become possessed of the secret which he used for the benefit of humanity He had been for forty years a shepherd, and had observed that his sheep carefully refrained from touching a cer- tain plant which seemed to be repugnant to them. On one occasion, when he wished to wean some lambs, it occurred to him as a good way to prevent them from sucking to tie some leaves of this plant round the teats of the mothers. The device was effectual; but to his astonishment, the teats shrivelled and fell off within a few days He happened at the time to have a large wart at the tip of his nose. Reasoning by analogy, he thought it probable that this herb would get rid of his wart. So it did, and this was the origin of his secret. The learned counsel read a letter from a priest. Abbe Ravant," living at No. 5, Vieux Chemin, a Montmarte, certifying that" Pere Louis had relieved him of a wart on the nose. For all these illegal cures the court sentenced M. Louis to pay a fine of 15fr., a punishment which will certainly not deter him from continuing his practice.
[No title]
A GLOWING ADVERTISEMENT.—We cull the following "advertisement" from the pen of "Josh Billings," the George Robins of America:—" I kan sell for eighteen hundred and thirty-nine dollars, a pallas, a sweet and pensive retirement, lokated on the virgin banks ov the Hudson, kontaining 85 acres. The land is luxuriously divided by the hand of natur and art into pastor and tillage, into plain and deklivity, into stern abruptness and the dalfianse of moss-tufted meddar, streams of sparkling gladness (thick with trout) danse through this wilderness of buty tew the low music ov the kricket and grasshopper. The ever- green sighs as the evening zephir nits through its shadowy buzzum, and the aspen trembles like the love smitten harte ov a damsell. Fruits of the tropicka, in golden buty, melt on the bows, and the bees go heavy and sweet from the fields to their garnering hives. The stables are worthy of the steeds ov Nim" rod or the studs of Akilles, and its henery was built expressly for the birds of paradice; while somber in the distance, like the cave of a hermit, glimpses are caught ov the dorg house. Here poets have come and warbled their laze, here sculptors have cut, here painters have robbed the scene of dreamy landskapes, and here the philosopher discovered the stun, which made him the ackimist of natur. As the young moon hangs like a cutting of silver from the blu breast of the ski, an angel may be seen each night dansing with golden tip-toes on the green. N.B. This angel goes with the place."
THE MARKETS.
THE MARKETS. MARK LANE, MONDAY^ But moderate supplies of English grain were received'up to our market last week. The import from abroad consisted of 15 660 quarters of wheat; 800 barley; 140,737 oats; 1,607 beani; 1,740 peas; 24 linseed 3,924 rape and oilseeds 2,800 maize: and 887 sacks of flour. A good supply of new English wheat was on sale at our market to-day, of fair average quality. Some of the samples were received In excellent condition. The trade for all qualities was very dull, and prices, as compared with Monday last, showed a decline of iully 2s. per quarter, There was a fair supply of foreign wheat on offer. The demand for all description! ruled heavy, and a decline of Is. to 2s. per quarter tookplaoe in the quotations. Floatiw? cargoes of grain were dull, and prices had a drooping tendency. The supply 0f English barley on sale was small, and of foreign but moderate. The trade was very Previous quotations were steadily supported. The malt trade ruled heavy, and prices had a downward tendency. Tne market was exten- sive] y supplied with oats, chiefly foreign. Fine samples steadily supported late rates, but for middling qualities of produce the trade has been dull, on rather easier terms. Beans, although in short supply, were a dull sale, at about iate rates. The trade for peas ruled quiet, at late rates. The supply on offer was smalL The njur trade was duU. and the quotations hid a drooping tendency. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, MONDAY. Our market to-day was extensively supplied with foreign beasts, in about average condition. The show of other kinds of foreign stock was large. The arrivals of beasts fresh up from our own grazing districts, as well as from Ireland and Scotland were again limited. The attendance of buyers was not numerous, and the primest beasts moved off steadily, at prices equal to Monday last. Inferior breeds were a dull In- quiry, and rather cheaper than last week. The top quota- tion was 5s. 6d. per 81b. From Lincolnshire, Leicestershlrei and Northamptonshire we received about 1100 shorthonu- from other parts of England, 500 various breeds from Scot-' land, 5 Scots; and from Ireland, 40 oxen and heifers. There was about an average supply of sheep in the pens. For Downs, half-breds, Lincolns, and Leicesters the demand ruled steady, at full quotations otherwise, the mutton trade was heavy, at barely late rates. A few very BUDerior sheep realised 6s. 4d.; but the average top price was 6* TJ>» 31b. The season for lambs is now nearly over Th« «il tor them was consequently heavy, at from 5s. 8*d to L ai per SIb. Calves met a heavy inquiry, at 2d per 81b. las. money. In pigs scarcely any business was done at late ou? rencies. HOPS. ■ 0<7nJ *° more settled state of the weather for the last few days the accounts trom the plantations have been tEOr.f-^VOU The plant, however is still in a backward condition. Most descriptions have commanded rather more attention, at about late rates. » WOOL. At the public sales of colonial wool, Yorkshire buyew have operated freely and French houses have purchased to a moderate extent such quantities as are suited to their manufactures, but, as yet, German houses have kept out of the market. Fine Australian and Cape wools have reMUly commanded the late high rates, and the value of all Other qualities has been well supported. The English wool trade is Arm at full prices. "POTATOES. The supplies of home-grown potatoes on sale are some- what extensive. Generally speaking, the trade is steady as followsShaws, 60s. to 80B., and Regents, 60s. to 110s. pec ton.