The Aberystwith Observer

CURIOUS MASQUERADERS. The Turin correspondent of the Times, In describing the Carnival esque rejoicings at that place, gives the following amusing description of the contest for prizes It to groups and Individual masks, which should be considered the most original and amusing, the most fantastic and extravagant The prizes offered to the most amusing and fantas- tical disguises and inventions had evidently stimulated the ingenuity of the masqueraders. Among the single horsemen there were few of much mark. There was a mounted Gianduja, in the traditional tri-cornered hat and red wig, with a pigtail; but his dress was not very sumptuous, for he went about in his shirt, al- though he put the best face he could on the matter, and even, told some people that he considered himself very fortunate they had left him a shirt to his back It is said that the King met him, and shook hands with him, which, considering the old friendship between them, must have been very consolatory to the poor fellow, who has sacrificed a good deal for the sake of his relations, and has not always found much grati- tude in return. There was an individual disguised as a donkey, and who brayed, as if he had been born to the part, so naturally as greatly to excite a real animal of the same speres which he bestrode. A huge self-moving box wandered up and down in a most supernatural way, a cobbler, tapping away at a ragged boot while his old wife span. The boot seemed to give him a deal of work, as does at times another Italian boot to those who would make it whole but perse- verance goes a great way. There walked about a group of barrels, marked as containing olives, and big as the oil-jars that sheltered the 40 thieves there was a flock of geese, and a man riding on a magnificent turkey-cock, and there was a tree in full blossom, walk- ing on its roots, and an orange-tree, whose roots, the season being still chilly, were carefully swathed in matting. A small party of six had dressed them- selves up entirely in straw, and looked like walking trusses. They and the trees were in continued danger from the carriage and saddle horses, which kept smelling and nibbling at them. A drum- major, with a shako three feet high on his head and a magnificent brass-headed staff in his hand, was a very effective personage. Fastened behind his back were six drums of various sizes, with accompanying sticks. By turning a handle which came forward under his arm the sticks were set going and beat a lively tattoo. But, certainly, the most laughable figure of all was a lady walking on her hands. From out of petticoats duly distended by crinoline there rose a pair of stout and well-shod legs, not disclosed to an extent shocking to the proprieties, but protected, about half-calf high, by a discreet muslin awning. The head was within a few inches of the ground the hands were cased in white gloves. The figure was colossal, the get up wasjperfect,|and people trooped after the masquerader with shouts of laughter. If he did not get the first prize he certainly deserved it, if the amusement of the public was to be tsken as a test of superiority. Early in the day three masks, dressed in black, wearing black masks, silent and unostentatious, drove along the Corso in an open carriage of a very plain description, scattering among the people thousands of copies of a lithographic print representing Pietro Micca in the act of setting tire to the mine. Every- body remembers the story of the Piedmonteae Sapper, who, to save Turin from capture by the French, blew up himself and the advancing foe. Under the picture was the following dedication :— "To Napoleon 111.. Pietro Micca, Citizen of the little country situated at the foot of the Alps."

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. In the Ilonse of Lords, on March ?, the Civil Bit! Courts Procedure Ireland) Bill was read a third time and passed, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, Mr. Colltns asked the hon. member for Leeds whether it. was his intention to proceed with the second reading of the Borough Franchise Extension Bill in the week nxtd by law for holding the Courts of Quarter Sessions throughout England and Wales. Mr. Balues said that finding the bill had teen fixed In the week of the courts of quarter sessions, he had postponed It from the 5th of April to the 3rd of May. Air. White asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affair* when the return of "Taxes in Europe," presented on th* °5th of July last, would be distributed to members. Mr, Layard trusted they they would be ready in a few days. Colonel Sykes asked the Lord Advocate whether, in the annual report of Scotch judicial statistics, he would adopt the English and Irish forms to facilitate oomparbon. The Lord Advocate said he would look into the matter, and, if possible, he would adopt the suggestion. Mr. Lawrence Palk asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if it was the intention of the Government to remedy the com- plaints of the masters aDd staff commanders of the navy as regarded their present rank, pay, and allowances. Lord C. Paget said that at a hter period he shoald be pre- pared to state what course Government intended to adopt with regard to masters and commanders. Mr. Laird asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether her Majesty's Government are aware that Arm- strong guns are being manufacted by the Elswick Ordnance Company for foreign Governments. The Marquis of Hartington said by an arrangement with the Government then in office Sir W. Armstrong trans- ferred to the nation his patent for the construction of wrought-iron ordnance. As far &8 he was aware, Government had an exclusive right to it, but last year a question arose as to the rights of the Government over guns on the shunt prnciple, and it wasreferred to the law officers, who decided that the Government had no exclusive power over that invention. Although Sir W. Armstrong had no power to prevent the Government from manufacturing ,it, it was not in the power oftbe Government to prevent hIm from doing so. He had reason to believe that the Elswick company had supplied guns on that principle to foreign Governments Mr. Baillie moved that a select Committee be appointed to inquire whether her Majesty's ships are at present armed in a manner øuUed to the necessities and requirements of modern warfare. After noticing the ignorance which appeared to prevail among even professional men in this country of the inventions of other countries, he stated the armament of the British fleet, which had not materially changed, he said, since the introduction of Iron-clad sbips, The motion was seconded by Sir J. Hay. who did not quite concur In the historical narrative of Mr. Battle. The Marquis of Hartington observed that Mr. Baillie had ranged over the history of our naval ordnance for the 1-ttt five years, Most of the questions he had aàveIted to had been investigated wilh nil their minute details by a Com- mittte, and it would be wasting time to appoint another Committee to re examine questions mainly of a scientific character, which had been often discussed and often decided. He hoped the House would not assent to the appointment of a Committee, which could not have any practical effect, and would hang up the whole question for another year, General Peel likewise opposed the motion. He did not think members of that House were competent to decide upon this question. Mr. Bentinck supported the motion. Our battles would be fought at sea, and he believed that upon an emergency our navy was not in a state to contend with a stroDg naval Power. Sir F. Smith doubted whether IntheeveDt of a sudden war our ships were properly armed, and no time was to be lost. Mr. Peacocke was of opinion it had been proved that our nary was not properly armed; if so, it was the duty of the House, he said, to institute a most rigid Inquiry. Lord C. Paget thought a Oommittee, with the very beøt Intentions, would rather retard than promote tue object in view, Admitting-that the armament of onr navy was not In a satisfartory state, he briefly stated the position in which the matter now stood. He hoped the motion would not be pressed. A division being called for, the motion of Mr. Baillie was negatived by 57 to 22. Sir H. Verney called attention to the evidence given to the committee on Navy Promotion and retirement 1863, on the subject of reappointing to the office of Chaplain-General of the Navy, dwelliIJg upon the importance of tbe o1Hceand its benefit to the service. The Select Committee on the Taxation of Ireland was re- appointed, with an instruction to inquire into the system upon which advances are made, and repayments required by the Imperial Government for drainage and o ther works of public utility in Ireland. Mr Cardweil moved for leave to bring In a Bill to enable Her Majesty's Colonial Possessions to make better provision for maritime defence, the main object being, he said, to ex- tend the principle of the Royal Naval Reserve of this county to the Colonies. Leave was given, and the Housa adjourned. In the House of Lords on March 3, the royal assent was given by commission to the Civil Bill Court Procedure (Ire- land) Act Amendment Bill. On the motion for Ihe second readings of the County Courts Equitable Jurisdiction Bill, Lord St. Leonards opposed the second reading, and described his objections to the measure, among which were the deficiency of the County Court Judges in the requisite knowledge of the law, the want of a Bar, and the application of part of the Suitors' Fund in Chancery to the purposes of the Act. Lord Cranworth admitted that some of the provisions of the bill ought not to stand, though the main object of the bill, that of giving a small equitable jurisdiction to the ■County Courts, was a very useful one. He trusted that with some modification, the bill would pass. Lord Chelmsford thought it would be difficult to arrange all the detail* of the measure so as to avoid giving the Couuty Courts too much jurisdiction. It was not the time to go into these details, bnt he agreed with Lord St. Leonards that the staff of the County Cour's would no.. be found sufficient for the duties required of them. The Lord Chancellor, in answering the objection made to the Bill, defended the Judges of the County Courts from the charge of Incompetency that bad been brought against them. The Bill was read a second time, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, on the order for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Newdegate moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the existence, character, and in- crease of monastic or conventual societies or establishments in Great Britain. Hts reason for moving for this committee was thtt of Jtte. years there had been a a enormous increase of these monastic establishments, and he justified inter- ference and inquiry by the example of Komau Catholic countries, and of our own Government in the reigns of Henry II. and Henry V. He appealed to testimony as to the social and moral evils, ard even the deep corrupt! u, of convents and monaateriei iutnat age; and as a proof that the antipathy to these establishments was no Protestant prejudice, their suppression in this country, be observed, was proposed in the reign ot Henry VII., by an Ecg!ish Cardinal, and actually sectioned by a Bnll of the Pope. Mr Hennessy observed that for all these alleged wrongs the Jaw provided a sufficient remedy. Mr. N.are remarked that conventual establishments were under less contrul in this country tban in France where the greatest facilities were given to those who desired to be released from their vows. He thought It wai conceivable that much wrong and oppression might be inflicted in these establishments, for which i' would be difficult to obtain a remedy by law, and he ahould eupport the motion. Mr. Whalley insisted that it would be almost impossible to obtain by an appeal to the law a remedy against abuses in monastic establishment., air G. Grey, niter replying to remarks by Mr. Whalley on the cases of Mrs. M'Derinott and Mary Ryan, expressed his regret that this subject should have been revived. He thought no ground had been laid for the motion, and he should vote againat It. Mr. Scully opposed the motion, denouncing the attacks made upon convontual establisbmellts upon vague charg s. and called for specific charges. Upon a division, Mr. Newdegate's motion was negatived by 106 to 79 The British Kaffrarla Bill was recommitted, after an ex- planation by Mr. C. Fortescue, in answer to Mr. A. Mills, and a short discussion, in which Mr. Marsh, Mr. Adderley, and Mr. Cardwell took part, and the House adjourned. In the House of Lords, on March 6, Lord Dalhonsie called attention to the condition of the Military Hospitals at which ?nd detalled the circumstances uuder V, ere°ted, at the close of the Crimean war, and contended that in every resnect it had at on the contrary, he thought very' factøry. It was not SUtted to the purp08es eith f ral or regimental hospitals. er 0 a gene- Lord de Grey admitted that the hospital at Netlev had proved successful, and thought it would be better to suspend opinion as to the establishment at Woolwich tilllt had been tested by use. u»««u ieen After a few words from Lord Ellenborough, Lord de Grev and Lord Granville, fl Lord Longford said no improvements In the administration of the army could be thoroughly carried into tfTeet till all the military departments were collected under one roof. The subject then dropped, and their Lordships adjourned. In the House of Commons, onlhe order for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr Bentick moved a resolution that, 'In consequence of the freauencv and increasing number of accidents on rail- wavs and the absence of any power In the executive Govern- ment' ufinterfere for their better prevention it is desirable that power should be vested by Act of Parliament in the Board ot Trade, or in some other department of the Govern- ment. to institute an inquiry Into the causes of any accidents which may occur on railways and examine witnesses on oath, and that powers should be vested in such department to frame and Issue regulations for the conduct of the tiamc on rallwavs for the safety and convenience of the public. The motion was seconded by Mr. Jackson. Mr. Thompson opposed the resolution. The first part, he said, was unnecessary, as the Board of Trade now had power to Institute inquiries, and the'second part, which proposed to vest to the Board power to frame regulations, berof accidents resPonsibility, and increase the num- Sir F. Smith could not go the whole length of the re- golution which could throw upon the Government the responsibility which now rested upon the railway companies. Mr. M. Gibson said he thought the first part et the resolu- tion unnecessary, as the present system of inquiry was successful In ascortainmgthe cause oftheaceident and with regard to the other portion, a Royal Commission was ap- pointed, which would Inquire Into and report upon the subject, so it would be premature for the House to agree to the motion. After further observations by Mr. Lefroy and Mr. R. Hodgson, the resolution was negatived. The House then went into a Committee of Supply, when Lord C. Paget moved the Navy Estimates. After a pre- liminary explanation ot the form of the Estimates, he stated that the number of men proposed to be voted for the service of the year 1865-66 was 69,750, being a decrease compared with the Estimate for last year of 2 200 men. The money Estimate was 10,392,2241., that of last year being 10,708,65ll" a decrease in the gross expenditure of 316,0002. The amount for wages, &c., was 295,006 £ showing a slight Increase over the estimate of last year. He proceeded to explain the cause I of this Increase, the reasons why a diminution of the number of seamen was proposed, and the details of various items in the other Estimates. On the first vote of 69,750 men, Sir J. Paklngton, after some general remarks upon the statement of Lord Clarence, said he should not deal candidly with the Government if he did not state that, from information he had received, he was not free from apprehension as to the condition of our navy. Atter the enormous Bums which had been placed at the disposal of the Admiralty-upwards of 57,000,0001, in five ycars-he had been told that at this moment we could not send an effective fleet to sea. Sir. J. Eiphinstone complained of the Royal Sovereign being put out of commission, of other improvident acts of the Admiralty, and generally of their naval policy. Sir W. Miles said a great catalogue of grievances bad been brought before the House; but one had not been adverted to which he hoped would be considered by the Admiralty— namely, the exclusion of widows of engineers from pen- sions. On the motion of Sir M. Peto, the Chairman was ordered to report progress. The Common Law Courts (Fees) Bill, was read a third time and passed. Mr. M. Gibson obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Law of Partnership, and the House adjourned. In the House of Commons, on March 7, the notices of motions stood thus :— Sir H. Bruce,—To ask a question relative to a stipendiary magistrate who signed a requisition to convene a meeting to form an association f"r political objects, tfce. Mr. Malins,—To present petitions relating ta the decay of the navigation of the Upper Thames and the Isis. Sir F. Kelly,—To move that in any future remission of in- direct taxation this House should take into consideration the duty on malt, with a view to ita early reduction and nltlmate repeaL Mr. Neate,—As an amendment, to move that owners and occupiers of land are not entitled to any special considera- tion on account of the pecuniary pressure of the malt-tax. Mr. Hardcastle,—As an amendment to Sir F. Kelly's motion, to move the previous question. Mr Pollard Urquhart,—Select Committee to inquire 'into the effects of augmented duties on spirits in Ireland Mr. Doulton,—Address for copy of all correspondence relative to the case of William Webb, sentenced to impri- sonment for stealing six walnuts. Mr H. Fenwlck,—Bill to renderowners of dogs in Englpnd and Wales liable for injury to sheep and cattle. ^ri> ^a'?a0I1> £ 'dress for return of the Town Councils and Boards of Commissioners which have adopted the Public-house Closing Act of 1864, &c.

Iltisctllairams Intelligent HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL, A DELICATE MATTER !—At the quarterly meeting of the Commission of the Free Church General Assembly, held at Edinburgh, last week, Dr. Caudlish called attention to the extraordinary advertisement lately published by the Free Church miniate* of Lochend in tne Inverness CUlwier (and which has gone the round of the papers). The advertisement, it will be remembered, stated that all the youngand unmarried women of Lochend had assembled in the vestry of the Free Church to get their characters "adjusted" by Dr. Campbell, in consequence of an imputation arising from the circumstance that the dead body of an infant bad been found in Loch Ness, the certificate given being that the medical man had examined a number of young and unmarried women of Lochend, and had "no reason to believa that any of them had been recently confined." Dr. Candlish hoped that the local presby- tery would lose no time in investigating the case, and should they fail in their duty he had no doubt the next General Assembly would take cognisance of the matter. The transaction waa one singularly shocking and revolting, and without parallel in the history of the Christian Church. ST, PETERSBURGH. — A fever is now raging in the capital of Russia; and the streets are placarded with notices issued by a "Committee of Public Health," which are also published by all the newspapers. The fever, which is contagious, is said not to be dangerous if properly treated forthwith, but in the contrary case mortal. Persons attacked with it are to be taken at once to the hospital. Impure bread is to fee avoided, and bakers selling it severely punished. The water from three of the canals, and from all the springs near the drains or near bath-houses, is declared unfit to drink. Brandy is not to be drunk in excess. This direction is printed in italics. It is added, however, that those who are accustomed to it may take a small glass before breakfast, dinner, or supper—-a liberal con- cession enough. No workman is to go to work with an empty stomach but how he is to fill it if he happens to have no money is of course not explained. From the injunctions to eat enough food, and not to drink too much spirits, it is evident that the poor of St. Petersburgh are the chief sufferers by the fever. The rich, on the other hand, are of course amusing them- selves as usual. At the last ball at the English Embassy, "Sir Roger de Coverly" was introduced. The Russian papers print the name Sir Rogers Cover- ley and there are, no doubt, already many cunning speculations as to what mysterious diplomatic business can have brought Sir Rogers to St. Petersburgh. The SEA-SERPBNT AGAIN.— Captain Charles Aubin, of the Blonde, oi Jersey, recently arrived in the Katharine Docks, London, from Vermin Vas, with ebony, barwood, palm Kernels, &c., part of the cargo shipped by Du Chaillu, reports as follows"Sep- tember 4, 1864. lying at anchor three miles off the River Verruin Vas, noticed on the port quarter a long white streak of great length approaching the ship. When within 12 or 15 feat of the vessel's bow, observed that it was a fish of immense length, at least 200 or 250 feet, apparently in shape, like an eel, and about three feet thick in the body. The fish moved in an un- dulating motion against the current, moving very slowly and without noise. It was witnessed by myself and the whole of the crew." OUR NiCW AMBASSADOR AT WASHINGTON.— The Hou. Sir Frederick William Adolphus Bruce, K.C.B., who was on Friday last gazetted to the post of Ambassador at Washington, in place of Lord Lyons, resigned, and who has recently returned to England on leave of absence as our Ambassador at Pekin, is son of the seventh Earl of Elgin, and was born in 1814. He was attached to the late Lord Ashburton's special mission to Washington Feb. 9, 1842: was colonial secretary to the Government of Hong Kong from 1844 to 1846; and was for a short time lieut..governor of Newfoundland. He was ap- pointed consul-general in Bolivia July 23, 1847, and charge d'affairs April 14, 1848. He was appointed charge d'affaires and con-ul-general at Monte Video Aug. 29. 1851: agent and consul-general in Egypt Aug. 3, 1853; and accompanied Lord Elgin's special mission to China in April, lo57. CHORCH AFFAIRS.—The total rental of pews in the Unitarian Church at San Francisco this year amounts to 70,000 dols., (says the New York Times.) The pew rental at Mr. Beecher's church, in Brooklyn, produced 50,000 dols. last year! his salary is 12 500 dols. The Church of the Messiah (Unitarian) at New York have lately sold their fine building on Broadway at a handsome advance bought eligible lots on Murray Hill, to be built upon after the war, and meantime purchased an Episcopal church in Twenty-eighth street, for their use. The church has all this fine property with money at interest beside. The American Board of Foreign Missions (Trinitarian) are to raise 600,000 dols. for this year. The American Unitarian Associa- tion are now raising 100,000 dols. The Alleghany (Methodist) College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, has received within the last tfcree months benefactions amounting to 80,000 dols. The Meadville Unitarian Theological School, also in Pennsylvania, has just received 5,000 dols. from one person toward, further endowment. One man, enriched by the oil traffic, gave 25,000 dols. to the Methodist College above referred to. Love Theological Seminary, Cincinnati, has just received 10,000 dols. from one person towards its library. In the past year, the aggregate donations to various colleges have amounts to 2,500,000 dols. In Honolulu nearly 18,300 dols. have been raised for the Sinitary and Christian Commissions. SOMETHING LIKE A GIANT !—Our readers (says the North China Daily News), have doubtless noticed in thsir walks through the settlements immense posters, setting forth the extraordinary dimensions of the "Fychow giant." Next each of these posters is a red placard, in Chinese, begging the curious in guch matters to come and see the extra- ordinary man," over which crowds of gaping natives may be seen poring. The address to the native popu- lation sets forth that this man, whose name, by the way, is Chang, measures nine feet, that his arm is four feet in length, his feet two, and his circumference six feet and a half. We cannot vouch for all these extraordinary particulars, but we are justified in saying that this giant is by far the tallest and broadest that we have ever seen. He stands about 8 feet 2 or 3 inches in height, and is proportionately broad. His figure is good, his movements as graceful as is com- patible with his extraordinary height, and his ex- pression amiable. We were under no apprehension when we found ourselves in his august presence, albeit he might have taken us and our contemporaries as a snack without any inconvenience. His manners are reassuring, and he very readily answers questions as to his family, his weight, and any other particulars which the inquisitive are anxious to discover. His levees appear well attended, and we imagine he must be making a tolerably good harvest from his exhibition. COOKING AN OMELITTE IN A CAB. — The Tri- bunal of Correctional Police, Paris, has tried a man, named Chaussepied, on charges of cheating a hackney coachman of his fare, and also of assaulting him. The complainant deposed as follows — "The prisoner hired me at the Barriere du Maine, and told me to drive to the Passage Vendome. We started, but had not gone far when I perceived the smell of frying for which I could not account, as there was no house near. On looking round, I saw the passers-by gazing at my passenger with an air of unusual curiosity, and a woman exclaimed that there was a fire in my carriage. I then looked in and saw the defendant holding in one hand a kind of tin plate and in the other a burning cord like a torch. In the plate was an omelette, which he was attempting to fry. I immediately alighted and told the defendant that I would not have my coach turned into a kitchen, but he replied that, having hired the coach, he had a right to do as he liked with it. As a crowd soon collected round us a police-agent came to see what was the matter, and I explained the affair to him, and he immediately ordered the defendant to alight and pay me my fare, Ivf4 T^S oou'd not do as he had only 12 sous. On that I intimated my intention to give the defendant mto custody, and he then struck me twice in the face. 1 should have been satisfied with my fare, although my cushions were much soiled by the eggs the defen- dant had spilton them." In answer to the President's question, the defendant stated that he was a dealer in parrots and had no settled place of abode, and therefore always cooked his food wherever he might happen to be when he was hungry. He had been cook on board a merchant vessel, and had brought a number of parrots from the West Indies, all of which he had sold, and was living on the proceeds till his next voyage, and be was willing to give the complainant a written promise to pay him with a parrot on his return. The coachman being unwilling to accede to this arrangement, the tribunal sentenced the defendant to three months' imprisonment for the fraud and the assault. THE GREAT ROBBERY IN LONDON.—The diver engaged at BlackfnaM Bridge, in London, resumed his search on Saturday forenoon for the recovery of more of the stolen watches, supposed to have been thrown into the river from Blackfriars temporary wooden bridge. Owing to the filthy black condition of the Thames water the diver was unable to discern any of the watches, it was only by his groping about on his hands and knees and feeling for them that he found them. He then went down with Hinke's patent lamp, which burns under water, which enabled him to see 1 mach better. In the course of the day he found two more gold watches, which Mr. Walker, jun., re- cognised as his property. The value of the watches recovered up to Monday by the diver is nearly 25M. 1 he ^statement that has gone forth that:the appre- hension of the burglars arose from some of the accom- plices giving information to the police is untrue. Their detection arose from the circumstance of some of the prisoners having suddenly amassed property. It was the talk of the neighbourhood where they lived at Mile-end. It was only a few weeks ago that the wife of one of the prisoners was seen with an oyster-stall in the New-cut. After the robbery of Messrs. Walker she was seen by the police with diamond earrings in her ears and her fingers adorned with costly rings and other jewellery this excited the suspicions of the police who commenced their inquiries. It turned out that her husband (Brewster) had given :>OOl., for a lease of a house in the Mile-end road, and that he was laying out 1501., more in fitting it out as a pie-shop, and singularly enough Mr. Thomas Beard (who appeared for the prosecutor) was the solicitor who was employed m the drawing out of the transfer of the house in ques- tion. The other prisoners, Casely and Jeffreys, were al^o ascertained to be "doing well;" they had since Mr. Walker's robbery taken a new house and fitted it out with new stylish furniture, while Mrs. Casely, who was well known to the police, was fashionably dressed, and displayed much jewellery about her. Although the police had no knowledge whatever, or informa- tion, to implicate the prisoners, or either of them, in any robbery, yet they were positive in their own minds that they had been concerned in some great de- predation, and they accordingly determined upon apprehending the whole of the prisoners, when the discovery was made that they were the actual burglars of Mr. Walker's robbery. THE "WINTHR IN RUSSIA—The rigour of the present winter in Russia is exceptional, and the public misery which prevails in consequence is aggravated by a financial crisi?. The Telegraph of Kiew says on that subject: In the memory of man 110 levere a winter has not been known. The villages are literally buried in snow, and the frost is becoming daily more intense. The celebrated fair, which las's a fortnight, and the meeting of the landowners of the provinces of Wolhynia, Todolla, and the Ukraine, now taking plsce, are completely wanting in animation- first, because specie Is rare, and, next, because long journeys are almost Impossible, in consequence of the state of the roads from the deep snow. The thermometer mal ks 26 deg, below zero Fahrenheit; for the la*t sixty years it has not fallen so low. From the scarcity of coin, travellers at the end of each stage are obliged to receive from the postmasters paper money witd his signature, and which is naturally current only in a limited district. OXFORD WIT!—The following "jeu d' esprit" in reference to many of the colleges and halls and their heads has just appeared, and afforded much amuse- ment in Oxford:—Which is the Dancing College in Ox- ford ? Exeter with its Lightfoot. Tne Military College ? Christ Church with its Cannons? The Horticultural College?—University with its Plumtree. The Manu- facturing College ?—Worcester with its Cotton. The Saucy College ? — Magdalen with its Bulley. The Canny College ?—Balliol with its Scott. The Coldest College? St. John's with its Wynter. The Highest College .—Pembroke with its Evans (heavens). The Falconer a College?- Oriel with its Hawkins (hawkings). The Irishman's College? Lincoln with its Pattison (Pat-his-son). The Music Hall?—St. Alban's with its Satter (psalter). The Desolate Hall ?-St. Edmund's with its Moore (moor). The Hunting Hall?—St. Mary's with its Cha.se. Terræ filius," Codger's Hall. ADVENTURES OF A SQUIRREL One day last week (says the Liverpool Albion,) a well-known medical gentlemen was proceeding through a very respectable street, when a Bervant-girl rushed out of the house and excitedly begged him to come to the assistance of *i?r F:U8':re8s* He instantly complied, and on entering the house heard shrill screams. Supposing that the ladies clothes were on fire, he proceeded to take off his coat for the purpose of extinguishing the flames. For- tunately, however, the cause was not so serious. The lady he found in t- e yard, dancing about in a frantic state of alarm, exclaiming that some animal was up her clothes; and she urgently implored the doctor to remove it. He hesitated to do so, not knowing what sort of animal it might be, and fearing he might be bitten. Eventually, however, he made an examination, and found that a squirrel had taken refuge on the lady's person above her waist, and was holding on to her by its claws. With some difficulty the animal was removed, but not until it had inflicted some severe scratches on the lady's person. It would appear that the squirrel had escaped from a neighbour, and had hidden among some old bottles in the yard, when, see- ing the lady, it had rushed to her for warmth. THE CASK OF MARY RYAN.—A Parliamentary return relative to the supposed abduction of the nun A?? Ryan was issued on Saturday. The report of Mr. Wilkes, one of the Medical Commissioners in Lunacy is appended. Mr. Wilkes went over to the as.ylum of St. Julien. at Bruges, and had an interview with Mary Ryan. In describing this interview Mr. Wilkes says; She stated to me that nothing could again make her nappy; that the enemy had taken possession of her, and wanted to overthrow the peace of the church that life was 2 ^er> and that she would destroy herself if she had tne opportunity. She even now at times refuses to eat, and sne is considered to be so decidedly suicidal ihat a sister has always slept in the same room with her. In my opinion Mary Ryan Is still of unsound mind, labouring under a very common form of melancholia with a suicidal tendency. I also think that she la not in a state to be safely taken care of out of aa asylum. A SUBPRISR FOR THE BANK DIRECTORS.—The extraordinary disclosures that have been lately made public connected with the robberies in London, won- derful as they are, are not without precedent, as may be gleaned from the following narrative, founded on fact. Some few years ago the directors ofthe Bank of England reeeiverl a written communication saying tbat the writer, who did not give his name, would meet them any evening, and at any hour they named, in the bullion room of the bank, and which was considered as impregnable as the Rock of Gibraltar or Citadel of Quebec, No notice was at first paid to the anony- mous scribe, but as the letters were continued a few of the directors agreed to answer and accept the invita- tion to meet the mystecjous writer in the stronghold of the bank. At the hour and night appointed they entertd this auriferous sanctum, and to their great surprise and consternation, to find that they were not alone, as a man in the garb of a labourer, with lantern in hand, stood before them. The enigma was soon solved by the stranger pointing to the floor, in which there was an aperture large enough to admit of any man ascending. "This, gentlemen," said he, "com- municates with a drain, and having once been called upon to repair it, I discovered how easy it ou!d be to make an entrance into this otherwise strongly-protected room:" The directors congratulated themselves on the discovery, took every precaution against a recur- rence of the circumstance, and rewarded the man who had given the information with 500Z. Fortunately the man was honest; had he been otherwise, he might have obtained thousands by communicating; the secret to thoFe who live by plunder. A TRADITION!—We forgot in our notice of Lord Combermere last week to record a singular cir- cumstance which belonged to his capture of Bhurtpore (says the Court Journal). There was a prophecy that this fortress never should be taken except by a crocodile, who should drink up the waters of the oitch. Lord Lake was beaten away from the sainted fortress in 1804, and odd enough, the first operation Lord Combermere directed for its reduction was to drive away workmen who were flooding the ditch from the neighbouring river. As in Sancrit a crocodile was called coombeer, the garrison expected defeat; but all this story is trash, for the fortress was carried after the most obstinate resistance, "the bastion of victory being stormed by Colonel Nicolls at the head of his regiment, he being the first to overstride the battle- ments and cut down the chief carrying the sacred ensigns, whilst his covering sergeant cut down the standard-bearer and captured the other. Colonel Nicolls was afterwards better known as Sir Jasper Nicolls, but he has left us, like thousands of brave and gallant men, and this brief notice can only state that he was brother-in-law to Sir Lovell Lovell, one of our first cavalry officers and Waterloo men, but now decpawdini, llir.. THE LAW'O# BIFA'&ITEP action h-ts been brought against a publican itf the Shoreditch County Court, in London. A working man entered the defendant's house, and in payment for some refreshment tendered a sovereign which was returned to him by the barman cleanly split in two halves. The coin, when originally tendered, was cracked; but the barman, believing it to be spurious, defaced it in the manner described. In its present state, the plaintiff could only obtain 19a. 4d. r 8*?^ »t the Bmk of England. The Judge, in deciding in favour of the plaintiff, said that if a trades- man tests the current coin of the realm, and in doing so damages that coin, and renders it-'no longer current, he is liable for such damage. SCOPE FOR THE IMAGINATION — If Lord Palnerston will only try the experiment of deferring the dissolution till the spring of next year, this generation will have the chance of seeing a dramatic parliamentary scene such as has been seldom witnessed before (remarks the Court Journal). Scene—the House of CommQns j time-ha.lf,past 11 o'clock p.m., on the 30th of May, 1866. Principal figure-Mr. Vincent bculiy, eloquently insisting upon the wrongs of Ire- land. Below him, the Ministers profoundly un- comfortable at the reflection that neither Appro- priation Bill nor tax bills have been passed, and that the public service can only be carried on by illegal pro- ceedings, for which a new and possibly hostile Parlia- ment may refuse an mdemnity. At the end of tha,t time the clock strikes 12, the Irish patriot's task is done the Speaker, no longer a speaker, descends humbly from hw chair the House of Commons is sud- denly resolved into a very shabby-looking and up- roanous public meeting; and the Ministers go off reflecting upon the perplexing predicament into which the exigency of party tactics has conducted them. It would be a pity to lose such a scene. Perhaps, for the transitory interests of the public service, it would be better that the elections should take place next autumn, but for the more permanent objects of the sensational historian it is earnestly to be hoped that the dissolution may be postponed. NEGRO BEAUTY.—The men led me up to a beautiful lady-like creature sitting alone under a tree (says Captain Grant). She received me, without any expression of surprise, in the most dignified manner and after having talked with the men, rose smiling, showing great gentleness in her manner, and led me to her hut. I had time to scrutinise the interesting stranger; she wore tbe usual Watusi costume of the cow's skin reversed, teased into a frieze with a needle, coloured brown, and wrapped round her body from below the chest the ankles. Lappet?, showing zebra-like stripes of many colours, she wore as a turnover round the waist; and except where orna- mented on one arm with a highly polished coil of thick brass wire, two equally bright and massive rings on the right wrist, and a neck pendant of brass wire— except these and her wrapper she was an naturel. I was struck with her peculiarly formed head and grace- ful long neck the beauty of her fine eyes, mouth, and nnSr j the smallness of her hands and naked feet were all faultless. The arms and elbows were rounded off like an egg, the shoulders were sloping1, and her small breasts were those of a crouching Venus-a, perfect beauty 1 After the fair one had examined my skin and my clothes, I expressed great regret that I had no beads to present to her. They are not wanted," she said. Sit down, drink this buttermilk, ———■ ————— L and here is also some butter for you." It was placed on a clean leaf. I shook hands, patted her cheek, and took my leave, but some beads were sent her, and she paid me a visit bringing butter and buttermilk, and (alas for feminine consistency !) asking for more presents, which she of course got, and I had the gratification to see her eyes sparkle at the sight of them. This was one of the few women I met during our whole journey that I admired. ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF ORLEANS.— Some 20 years baek, or thereabouts, I was breakfasting with my late lamented friend, Lord H. Seymour. when Decamps, the celebrated painter, was announced (says the author of "Gronow's Reminiscences)." During breakfast Decamps told us the following anecdote, which, he said, had occurred the day before:— A gentleman called at his lodging on the third story, and asked the porter if M. Decamps was at home, and being answered in the affirmative, the visitor was about to ascend the staircase, when the porter called after him, and said As you are about to visit the artist, perhaps you will have no objection to carry with you his trousers, which I have just mended." By all means," replied the stranger, I shall be happy to render you this little service." Arriving at the door, the visitor rang the bell, and Decamps openirg the door, to his utter amazement, recognised the Duke of Orleans, who laughingly presented to him the trousers he had re- ceived from the porter. A GREAT FJSH.—There has been exhibiting at Sheffield a fish of unusual form and size. Its weight is about one ton, its length 15 feet, and its girth ex- tremely great. Its colour is a blue-grey, and judging from the size of its mouth, its appetite must have been decidedly good. At the side of each jaw is a large tapering fin, looking very like the long wing whiskers now in fashion, and inside the mouth is a fine circle of teeth curved inwards towards the throat. The mouth •—or parcels receiving office-is an extensive establish- ment, as cod-fish on their way to the interior are not so much as marked on their passage through it. This fish seems to have been of a benevolent disposition in his diy, for it was his way when he met with any fish at all smaller than himself to invite them in out of the wet. Six well-grown cod fish and a little society of haddocks were all taken out of his capacious interior, and each of these fishes looked, on its restoration to light, as fresh as if it had just been caught with hook and line. How these fishes came to be so delicately provided cannot be said, but the work has been done in a kindly way, and each cod fish, if it could but speak, might declare, "I was a stranger and he took me in." DECREASE OF EMIGRATION.—The Government emigration officials at the port of Liverpool last week completed their usual monthly returns of the emigra- tion from the Mersey, and these returns, when compared with the corresponding month of lR1i4, show an enor- mous decrease in the exodus during the past month, when there sailed to the United States 14 ships, with 2 C55 steerage and 189 cabin passengers, of whom 831 were English, 1,307 Irisb, 93 Scotch, and 424 other countries; to New South Wales there was only one ship, with 398 steerage and 1 cabin passenger, of which 52 were English, 24 Scotch, and 322 Irish to Queens- land there was one ship, with 422 steerage and 23 cabin passengers, of whom 30 were English, 389 Irish to Victoria there were two ships, with 367 steerage and 1 cabin passenger, of whom 172 were English, 183 Irish, 9 Sc Itch, and 3 other countries, making a grand total of 3,842 steerage and 214 cabin passengers. Of ships not under the Act there sailed to the United States 5, with 244 passengers; to Vancouver's Island, 1 ship, with 9 passengers; to Victoria, 1 ship, with 33 pas- sengers to China, one ship, with 8 passengers; to Africa, 2 ships, with 45 passengers, making a total of 358 passengers. In February, 1864, there sailed 7.623 passengers, while during the past month there only sailed 4 404, thereby shoeing a decrease, as compared with 1865, of 3,224. ° My MoTHRR — Some gentlemen passing through the beautiful village ofRemon, in the Vale of Leven, Dumbartonshire, about nine o'clock at night, some time ago, had their attention directed to a dark object in the churchyard (says the North British Mail). On going in to ascertain what it was. they found a boy of tender years lying flat on his face, and apparently sound asleep over a recently-made grave. Thinking this not a very safe bed for him, they shook him up, and asked how he came to be there. He said he was to go home, as his sister, with whom he resided, had threatened to beat him." And where does your sister live .asked one of the party. "In Dumbar- to°' w £ s, In Dumbarton—nearly four miles o and how came you to wander so far away from home I jUflt cam»» sobbed the poor little fellow, because my mither's grave was here." His mother had been buried there a short time before, and his seeking a refuge at her grave in his sorrow was a beautiful touch of nature in a child, who could scarcely have yet learned to realize the true character of that separation which knows of no reunion on earth. Thither had he instinctively wandered to sob out his sorrows, and to moisten with tears the grave of one who had hitherto been his natural protector, for he had evidently cried himself asleep. A CAREER.—" As a woman I suppose I am not competent to discuss politics," (saysa writer in Blackwooda Magazine,) "and if Broadbrim con- scientiously believes in manhood suffrage and the Low Church, and considers it his duty before Gad to lose no opportunity of propagating his opinions, I should be the first to urge his Uniug all the influence which his name and wealth give him in what would then become a sacred duty but the career you talk about is not a sacred duty. It is a wretched Will-o'-the-wisp that tempts men to wade through mire in its pursuit, not the bright star fixed above them in the heavens to light up their path." I firmly believe," she went on, as she warmed to her theme, "that the one word, baa done more to demoralise public men than any other wordx in the language. It is one embodi- ment of that selfishness which we are taught from our cradles. Boys go to school with strict injunctions if possible to put self at the top of it. They take the highest honours at the University purely for the sake of self. How can we expect then when they get into Parliament that they should think of anything but self, until at last the most conscientious of them is only conscientious by contrast ? I know you think me foolish and unpractical, and will tell me mine is an impossible standard; but I don't believe in impossible standards where public morality is concerned. At all events, let us make some attempt in an upward direction and, as a first step I propose to banish from the vocabulary that most pernicious of all words, • A Career. PLASTERING WINE. — The custom of treating win; with plaster has been often declared by medical men to be perfectly allowable in a hygieDic point of view, and in a paper addressed last week to the Academy of Sciences M. G. Chancel shows that it is beneficial to the wine under certain circumstances (says Galiffnani). Plaster, or sutphateoflime, acts upon wines in different ways, but its action is always de- fecating and purifying. Experiment shows that the quantity of grapes yielding one litre of wine in the South of Prance contains 8 or 9 gms. of tartar, and yet the wine obtained only contains 2 gms. to 2h gms. of this salt per litre. A large quantity of bi-tartrate of potash therefore remains in the dregs. This shows that the solubility of this salt in wine is very limited. w hen plaster is brought into contact with wine, its reaction is exercised on a solution which, during the dr«?n' r/ draw a fresh sapply of tartrate from the ureg8. ihe result obtained from plastering wine in the or Plastering the wine already fermented and unfiT? °?' are therefore different. The addition of a Quantity of plaster to wine causes nearly the in+r* i?uan!lty °f potash contained in the grape to pass iricrenaf +ulne under.the form of a tartrate, and thus to TTf*nr»n ;» • ProPortion of tartaric acid in the liquid, nosit af ijf ?ot surPrising that plastered wine can de- winp nM much tartar in the casks as common wine lose a wtnCe' *!f°' u*ie dregs of highly-plastered Chancel ^^able quantity of potash. M. plaster caim^lf^ thefollowlug conclusions 1. That contained in f, at,least 0De half of the tartaric acid it increa-es ^fregs to pass into the wine. 2. That wine height-A ProPortlon acid principles in And 3 Th^t i ? ci>lour'. and secures its stability, asul Dhatfi t h mtr?duce8 mto wine, under the form of j the Skater part of the potash in the drees under the form of a bitartrate, g O M 4 GEDYA ter H bio and romantic He was formerly engaged in Cassel, and one of the Princes of Hesse-Cassel fell in love with. Birnbaum's daughter, and in spite of the opposition of his august father, the Curfurst married her, and fled with her to Switzerland, where they 'Jived for some time supported only by tne actor, as the Prince's father disavowed the marriage, and refused every assistance. Of course Herr Birnbaum received his dismissal from the Court Theatre in Cassel, and he had to seek his fortune elsewhere. He found a home at last at Stuttgart. The Prince eventually got tired both of his narrow means and young wife, and yielding to his father's persuasions, left her to die of a broken heart. This catastrophe preying upon Herr Birnbaum's mind led to the tragedy of tlw 10th ultimo. In Laube's cele- brated play, the Karls Schuler, the actor represen- ted a man who has to tell a story resembling his own. Before going on the stage, he was observed to be confused and excited; he went on, however, and acted in a manner that drew tears from the whole audience, and even those acting with him but on leaving the stage at the end of this scene, he had scarcely arrived at tbe wing when he clasped both his hands to his heart, and fell down a corpse! The sensation among his brother artists and the public in general can scarcely be described, for all knew his history, and knew what had struck him down. The play, of course, came to a close at once. The king has granted his widow a pension, and acceded to the desire of the deceased, often expressed, to be buried beside his daughter, the wife of Prince redenc of Flanan, in the churchyard of Cannstadt.

VISITS TO CONFEDERATE TOWNS. The author of "A Visit to the Cities and Camps of the Confederate States gives ^following interesting reminis- cence* ot a tour through the Southern States Colonel Gordon, an Englishman in the Confederate service, and C., accompanied us as far as Savannah, so we were" quite a party." „ At Charleston we remained for two days. The Yankees had recommenced shelling the city some tune before, but comparatively little mischief was being done. Few shells fell beyond the part ol the town which was destroyed by a fire previous to the first bombardment, and the houses of Charleston, as in most cities of the Southern States, are ve^y much scattered, except in two or three business streets, each one stand- ing in a large courtyard, and having besides a garden of shrubs and "shade trees. lhus nine out of ten shells fall harmless and the hope of the Yankees to set fire to the city or to batter it down has been hitherto entirely disappointed. The district nearest the bay, which is most exposed to the shelling, is nearly deserted by the inhabitants, but still ladies enter it without hesitation to visit their houses and a friend ot mine, Captain Mordecai, told me that he had in vain attempted to prevail on his old negro housekeeper to evacuate his premises. Them shells never do nobody any harm," she argued. In walking through this part of the city, the only observable results of the bombardment are the broken windows in houses where shells have exploded and General Jordan never even hinted the possibility'of its being an objection to our visiting the Battery and other exposed places to have a look at Fort Sumter, the Blakeney gum", and other objects of curiosity, and he 1 and several of his fellow officers accompanied us on the expedition. Various individuals were lounging about in the streets and on the Battery, which battery I think I have men- tioned before, is not a battery, but a promenade, whence there is a beautiful view of the harbour and bay. Of the row of fine houses here--the best in Charleston— fronting the bay, only one has been struck by a shell. In the" safe district" we visited the Soldiers' iiome, where every soldier, whether wounded or sick, or. travelling on furlough to visit his friends, is provided with board and lodging. Everything was admirable clean and well kept, and the dinner, which was just +l?R^Ve^' aPPeared excellent. In almost every town ui the South there is an establishment of tbe same description, generally close to the railway station. A hey are supported by the surrounding country, and mmany of t^em the ladies of the neighbourhood take It muturns to. wait upon their guests. Ihe establishment at Charleston is extensive, and we were shown over it by Mr. Gibbs, a wealthy Charlestoman, who has remained in the beleaguered city, determined to abide by his native place inits dark hour and he makes this "Home" an object of his chief care and solicitude. We had a very pleasant journey to Savannah. The weather was delightful indeed, from the time we reached Wilmington we had found the climate entirely different from that we had left at Richmond. A Mr. B-n had joined our party—a New Orleans gentle- man, and a friend of Colonel Deaa, who was very amusing. Savannah is the largest city of Georgia, on the south bank of the Savannah river, eighteen miles from the sea, and has a population of about 16 000 whites, and 12,000 blacks. A city with less than 30,000 inhabitants in the Northern and North-Western States of America is at the utmost considered a rising and promising young place; but it is different in the South, where popula- tion does not congregate at commercial centres, and the comparatively ancient town of Savannah is an impor- 17^ tyi v' was f°unc!ed by General Oglethorpe in y anr"' hke most of the seaboard towns, was in the ands of the British during almost the whole of the Revolutionary War. It is a beautiful place, and, to t an American guide-book, "regularly built, witn streets so wide and so unpaved, so densely shaded with trees, and so full of little parks, that but for the extent and elegance of its public edifices, it might seem to be a score of villages rolled into one. Theie are no less than twenty.four little green squares scattered through the city, and most of the streets are lintd with the fragrant flowering China tree, or the Pride of India, while some of them have four grand rows of trees, there beings double carriage-way with broad wattut on the outer sides, and a promenade between. The neighbourhood is exceedingly pretty, with drives on the banks of the river, and aven** of live oaks, bay-treep, magnolias, and orange- *• favourite drive is to the Cemetery of Bona- venrar#, which was originally a private estate, laid out In broad avenues and these avenues of live oak, now grown to an immense size, with their huge Dranobes sweeping the ground, and carrying heavy festoons of the haughty Spanish moss, are magnificent, We were at the Pulaski House, which is a capital °ry" eneral Beauregard was staying there, and we pMd our respects to him the morning after our arrival. He was looking remarkably well, and said he had never in his life been in better health, which was the more gratifying to hear, as it was from ill health that the general had been obliged to give up his command in the field two years ago. General Beauregard repeated what General Jordan had told us at Charleston, that he considered Fort Sumter stronger now for internal defence than it had ever been before. At the railway station we parted with our friends ^*r°rd^n and C., and proceeded on our journey to Mobile. It was long and tedious, but we got on pretty welL Some time before this we had discovered the dodge of fraternising with the conductor as soon as he came round to collect tickets, and the result was that we were generally introduced by him to his private box or to the mail room, where there were always chairs and plenty of space for making ourselves comfortable. Between Columbus and Montgomery General Bragg entered the cars and travelled with us some distance. He told us that he had just been all through south- western Georgia and eastern Alabama, and had found surprising abundance everywhere. The tax in kind which wa.s now being levied by the government was working exceedingly well, and provisions had already been collected amply sufficient to supply the armies in the West till the next harvest. An old farmer in the car became intensely excited when he heard what an illustrious passenger he was travelling with, and rushed up, saying, "Are yau Mr. Bragg? Are you General Bragg? Give us your paw I" and the general very good.naturedly shook hands with him. Then he sat down and stared in mute admiration; but when the general had left he attacked Colonel Deas "What big ears you've got! Why, you've got ears like a mule I-haw haw haw You mustn't mind me,—I'm an old fool,—haw haw But I've shook hands with Mr. Bragg, anyhow, haw haw haw And so he went on hke a maniac, much to our amusement. We stopped a few hours at Montgomery, and reached Mobile after a journey from Savannah of a little more than two days and two nights.

LETTER FROM A PENITENT SCHOOL- BOY. Last week a paragraph went the round of the papers giving an account of the adventures of four run- away schoolboys. Since then the following peni- tential letter has been received by the mamma of one of them :— —— Feb. 25, 1865. My dear Mamma, I am very sorry to fay I ran away from school. We were out for a walk on Wednesday afternoin. I and three other boys got behind the red noses; then, as soon as the other boys had gone on a lit'l* way, we ran over the sacd hills and past Mr 'g over the iron bridge, anti into Birkenhead. Oue of us then thought of selling his topcoat. We all agreed. I forgot to tell you that before we crossed the iron bridge I had a penny in my topcoat pocket that I picked up on Sunday in the ground Another of us had five postage stamps. We changed them at a little shop, and got four large biscuits which cost twopence. Another had a farthing; he bought two small biscuits. When we got to Birkenhead we asked for marine stores. One of us had a little pistol to flre percussion caps; but they would not buy it. Then we Witt to a tailor to sell the topcoat. No he would not buy it; told us to porn It next doar. We went in, but he would not porn it. We then went back again to the next marine stores (not the same one). He would not buy it; so we went to the eame one; but they said they would buy nothing off us; so we went to a toyshop to try to tell either a whistle or pistol. She bought the pistol for threepence. We tben went to buy hread. We got a JJd. loat of bread, as well as Id. T J?.wf wen\ to the Janding-stage; went over to i, 7e were 8°iri« down to the ferry we tried to sell a sack A. mau tried it; it was too big for him so he would not take it. When we got to town we went tothb waiting-room for a drink of water. Then as we were walking about the stage, such a funny policeman came and paid, What boat are you going by ?" We raid, none; we just come from Birkenhead. Then he saidj "Youre Just the boys I am looking for. You mnrt away fr..m school; follow me: come this way. Some one has been looking for you all over town." Then he took us to Miss who was waiting for us on the stage. We then went on the New Brighton boat. Papa was waiting for us on the New Brighton Stage. He took me and another boy up 'o Burton's car. Then they all got in, except me and papa. We all as soon as we got here went into the study, where Miss told us how naughty it was. We then went to bed, were Miss sent us a cup of hot tea and some brefd. I must now conclude.—I remain your aØeo. ton, JOTIN.

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. Dr. Wybracts, coroner for East Somerset, has just been investigating a most mysterious case at Em- borough, a small village, lying between the cities of Bath and Wells. This inquiry, which was twice ad- journed, resulted in a verdict of "Wilful murder." The fiacts of this very remarkable case are as follows :— On the 8th of February, William, the only surviving child of Mr. Charles Coles, aged seven months, died very sud- denly, In consequence of a powder administered to him by his mother, and which powder she supposed to be one of Steadmau's Soothing Powders," from a packet of which she took it. Death resulted in ten minutes. It appeared that on the 31st of December a woman named Ann House purchased of Mr. Habgood, chemist, Wells, a packet of Steadman's powders for Mrs. Coles, and that in January Mr and Mrs. Coles themee'.ves purchased another packet of the same powders. One was given to the child with a good effect, and the remainder were placed in a cup- board In the parlour. In the evening of the 8th of February Selina Young, the nursemaid, was sent by Mrs Coles to the parlour for the powders, and she took them into the room where Mrs. Coles was nursing the child. Mrs. Cales took out d nnxed it with moist suaa* and gave it to the child, who died within ten minutes after. Mr. Cartner, a surgeon, was sent for, and when he arrived he requested a Mr. Ham, who was present, to take charge of the remaining powders. He did so, and subsequently Mr. Mr. Cartner made a post-mortem examination of the child, and found tbat he had died of a collapse produced by corro- sive mineral pobon. On examining the powders given to Mr. Ham ho found that one of them contained ten grains of bichloride of mercury; the other powders contained none. Mr. Habgood, the chemist of whomithepowders were bought, Mr. Faaiconer, of Queen's-row, London, the proprietor and manufacturer of the powders, and Mr. White, the managing clerk of Messrs Barclay and Co., the agents who supplied Mr. Elabgood, were severally examined, and stated that by no possible means could p Hon have been introduced Into the powder as issued by them, Inasmuch as they were sealed and stamped with the Government stamp. It was further proved that Mr. Coles kept lump mercury in his house, for the purpose of treating his sheep, and that Joseph Chard, the shepherd, also had a lump, which he had lost. Mr. Deane, of London, an alalytical chemist, proved that the powders he examined contained particles of hair or wool, and also some dirt. He was of opinion that it was Impossible that such particles could have entered packets la a chymlst's shop. The Coroner summed up at considerable length, pointing out the incontestable fact that the child had been poisoned, and that poison had been substituted for the powders, as was proved by one packet of poison still remaining among the others. The jury returned one°ote" T\T° effect» which is substantially unknown -^urder against some person or persons unk nown."

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. bltk!16 "^>r™ce Wales will open the Dublin Exhi- The Post of Vienna, of March 1, has the follow- ing .-—" ihe greater part of the Polish fugitives interred in Austria have already quitted the country. Prince Arthur, of England, was in Fa"8 on Friday, and paid a visit to the Emperor. Twenty-two young ladies graduated at t e raming- ham (Mass.) Normal School, lately. « the examination, occupied two idest normal presented the diplomas. This £ "le oldest normal school ^America, having been established in liwa. The first volume of the "JJ?tou3L,J3 £ uIes Cesar" was published In Paris on Saturday- This however, be it understood, is only the ™L 6, c°stly and splendid edition which th^y can have> who^are willing to pay an imperial price for an imperial production. The annual "winter meeting of the National Rifle Association was heldn London on Saturday, the Duke of Cambridge officiating at it as chairman. The re- port was a highly favourable one. His royal highness said the society had now a funded balance of 7,ûOOl, their re- ceipts last year were about 26,000* and the number of mem- bers had Increased, and the colonial and local associations eaS&.C°nJ l0n thePar^t ^ocTatlon,hadXo A A blackbird belonging to the gate-keeper of the county prison, Stirling, was missing In June last, and was not again seen until one day during the late storm, when it appeared at the prison, and entered its cage. A great meeting of the Peace Society and its sup- porters has been held at Bristol. The hippophaghists of Europe propose to kill 600,000 horses every year for food. What a quantity of night-maie I Mr. H. Berkeley, M.P., has resigned the Chairman- ship of the Ballot Society, in consequence of a difference of opinion between himself and the committee as to the utility, under present circumstances, of continuing his annual motion on the ballot. It is stated 011 the authority of a Montreal journal that there are no less than 36 000 French Canadians alone in the Federal Army. Bull-fights by ladies is the novelty in Mexico intro- duced since Maximilian civilised the place. The tenth anniversary of the Emperor Alexander's accession to the throne of Russia was commemorated by the Russian subjects in London on Friday, Mr. Lynn, a surgeon, practising at Newcastle, was found dead in his bed. It appeared that the deceased had been in the habit of taking chloroform for some complaint, and had unhappily taken an overdose. On Friday her Majesty's staghounds pursued a deer into Windsor, when the animal suddenly darted Into the shop of Mr. Linnell, butcher, and thence into the kitchen, where several persons were at dinner, and of course, greatly to their consternation. A scene of confusion immediately ensued upon the entrance of thil unex- pected and unbidden visitor, who was at length secured by a number of men. A royal commission has been issued for an inquiry Into the working of the railways of the United Kingdom, with the Duke of Devonshire as chairman. The scope of the inquiry is only limited by the public service and safety. It is said that Mr. Gladstone has it in view to procure a reduc- tion of fares, and an Improvement in the construction of third class carriages. Lady Buchanan, the wife of the English ambassador at St. Petersburg, has nationalised an Englishman, whom she introduced to the delighted Muscis at her pleasant ball, in the shape of Sir Roger de Coverley. They have adopted the gay dance with effusion. As to tenant-right, I may be allowed to say that I thiLk it is equivalent to landlords' wrong. (A laugh.) Tenant-right, as I understand it to be proposed, would be little shott of confiscation; and although that might cause the landlords to emigrate, it certainly would not keep the tenants at home.—(Renewed laughter.)—Lord Palmerston an Ireland. The Empress Eugenie has written to the Queen and the Sovereigns of Europe, proposing that, without dis- tinction of creed, all shall join at once for the purpose of effecting a suitable restoration of the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem, which is now in a state of utter disrepair. At the Maghera petty sessions the other day, a young woman was fiaed 30s. for emptying a kettle of boiling water about tha head and shoulders of a young man. It seems the complainant—a former lover—had spoken some- what disparagingly of the fair defendant, who decided on having revenge. The Prince of Wales has been appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. William Smith, a farm servant in Westmoreland, fell in love with a fellow. servant, and arranged to be married to her. Suddenly, however, he was missed, and not seen for nearly a month alter, when he was discovered lying under a thick layer of hay in a barn. He was nearly starved to death. He ssid he had only had one drink of water during the whole time he had been there but would give no reason for his remarkable conduct. The Saturday Review says:—" All ladies who are in training to be leaders of fashion should, above all things, cultivate insolence. It is better, perhaps, to practise on their relations or on their husbands just at first, in order to avoid making too many enemies at the outset of their career. But, whoever may be selected to fulfil the office of practising-block, the quality must be acquired somehow, as an indispensable condition of success." The Sultan shows his love of literature, not like the modern Csosar, by writing, but by paying for the writings of the best authors. He has decreed that 100,000 piastres shall be annually spent in translating the best works of all countries. A new reptile discovered in America has been named the "anthrakerpeton crassosteum." The whole bookselling trade of PaÇs is indignant at the exceptional rule adopted by publisher Plon, who has cut down the usual 25 per cent. allowed the fraternity on their purchases, and will only abate 10 per cent. on the price of the Emperor's book. They have memorialised the Emperor on this flagrant infraction of the laws of egalit. and fraternke in the republic of letters, which has had no Crosar daring enough to upset it hitherto. An old woman, named Ann Williams, died last week, in the Model Lodging Houses at Worcester, aged 101. She was a widow, and for some past was in receipt of parochial relief. The Constableship of the Tower, vacant by the death of Lord Combermere,•will either not be filled, or will be constituted an honorary office. The salary 9472. a year, will resolve itself into nine good service pensions of 1001, a year each, which will be shortly distributed among the senior officers of the army as rewards for distinguished or meritorious services. The wonder of Paris society is the Egyptian Pasha, now on a visit there. He is a Pasha of many tales" in the salons, where his magnificence is heard of with wondering, lifting of the eyebrows, Vraiments Pas possibles and so forth. The Pasha Is said to have a penchant for high play, and suits the tastes of the members of the grand clubs to a nieety. Mr. Somerset Beaumont, M.P., has been placed on the commission to proceed to Vienna, to in quire into the commercial relation between Great Britain and Austria. Morris. Levi, a bankrupt clothier, was tried at Warwick Assizes on Saturday, on a charge of defrauding his creditors. The prisoner carried on a large business at Bir- mingham until November last, when he executed a deed of assignment. His accounts showed a dtficiency of 8,0002. It Was allfged tbathe had fraudulently removed lar"e quan- tities of goods prior to his bankruptcy, and the evidence satisfied the jury that such had been the case. Sentence was deftorred tUl next assizes, in order that a question of law raised in the trial might be decided. IXeauwhile he was admitted to batlln 4,0002. At New York, recently, Charles English, a young English buralar, who attempted to shoot officers M'Kelvey and Connelly of the 15th precinct, while they were attempt- ing to arreSL him, was convicted. English was a fancy- looking fellow, elegantly attired, and bearing a fine ap- pearance—being almost a mere boy. He had been engaged in a number of burglaries. He was kept by a mistress, and flourished in a most fanciful style. English listened with the utmost sang froid, and as he turned away from the bar, merely shrugKtd his shoulders and exclaimed, gotto voce, Humph-ten years. That s only a little sleeping spelt. • It is said that in M.'s back parlour one day lately, Dean M. said to Lird D. that he was surprised to find that Lord S had not yet read his father's translation of the Iliad, "No, nor never will," said the noble translator, "uutil it I.. put into prose in the form of a Blue Book." A case has been tried before Sheriff Smith at Elgin, which deserves notice. A Dissenting minister in the neighbourhood, while denouncing the practical heathenism of the age, as shown by people not attending church, named two families as being in that state. An action for defa- mation of character was raised against the minister by the parties named, and the minister was glad to compromise the matter by making ample apology, and paying expenses. On Saturday night last, the Rev. John Kennedy, curate of Gortou, committed suicide by cutting hit throat, nearly from ear to ear "fie had been for a .eek or two deeply depressed in spirits from some private difficulties. The great strike or lock-out in the iron districts began on Saturday night. The North Staffordshire men refuse to budge an inch from their position, and, as they are acting in defiance of the wishes of the Executive of the Ironworkers' Union, all pecuniary assistance from the association will bd withheld. In fact the North Stafford- shire men have been excommunicated, ttfough this does not at all affect the misunderstanding. The Duke of Saxe Coburg has originated a new title called "Commercieuratn," or sellers of high-class articles at a cheap rate. Six boys, living in Edinburgh, broke into a shed In which powder was kept, at the station of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, in order to steal ammunition for a pis- tol. A can of powder exploded, blew off the roof of the shed killed one of the boys, and severely burned two others. The rest of the boys ran away, and as they were afraid to state what had occurred, their injured companions were left some time without assistance. A bill laid before the House of Commons by Sir F. Hey gate, (to extend only to Ireland) for the protection of sheep from the ravages of dogs having no owuer or dis- claimed, proposes that every dog when it is six months old shall, under a penalty, be registered by its owner annually, with description, at the police-station, and a half-crotfn fee paid per dog; and any dog. whose owner eannot after due inquiry be discovered may be destroyed by the police. People are getting bold with the spirits—who are out of spirits. An Exeter hatter offers to pay 502. to a charity if he cannot tie up the spirits in the persons of the Davenports effectually. The London Review says Oxford Colleges and Halls are very lull. Peace and plenty of money always havg the effect of sending up more boys to the universities, partly because papa can afford it better, partly because in time of peace, promotion in the army is a slow process, andtso on. Certainly, towards the latter part 01 the Crimean war, the number of names on the books (f this university showed a l ery remarkable falling off, at least all remarkable as the present fulness." The Court Journal satirically remarks :—"Ifc ia wonderful what large numbers achieve when banded to- gether in a common object. For instance, the Foresters have subscribed the sum of 141. Is. 8d. In copper and t 110 fourpenny-pieces, to reimburse Mr. Coxwell for the loan of his balloon destroyed at Leicester." The mayor of a town in the north, in reply to a gentleman who always prides himself on being particularly conversant with the rules of Lindley Murray, said, sarcas- tically, (I I have just returned from receiving the Judges, Mellor and Shee or, speaking grammatically, I should say Melior and Her." A puzzling advertisement, representing a picture- frame surrounding the words "Watch this frame" has lately appeared on the walls of London. It refers to Mr Watts Phillips's drama of the" Woman in Mauve," which is to be brought out at the Haymarket Theatre. The Pope has a long array of titles. In the Anniiaris Pontificis for 1865 he is styled "Vicar of jesus Christ, Successor to the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontilex of the Catholic Church, Patriarch of the West Prunate of Italy, Metropolitan of Rome, and Sovereign of the States of the Church." At a fancy dress ball in Paris the other evening a masquerader dressed up as a Roman Emperor was christened Tne First Edition" as soon as he appeared in the ball-room. The preface to the History of Julius Caesar was written three times after it was in print, which caused the delay. A rumour is again current that reinforcements are to be despatched to a batf«^ nt of the Guards, a battery of horse artillery, and a battalion of rifles. It may be interesting to the curious to know that the cards of invitation to the Court balls at the Tuileriesare about seven inches by and of an orange colour. The charge preferred against the Earl of Norburv at having f ^y tnvestiMted h?e8'i?' a glrl flfteen age, was fully l before the magistrates at Seven Oaks, on Friday, JNO witnesses were called for the defence and upon 'he for the prosecution, the magistrates a°penalty of a co™ *^lt, anTSposed don^o^rafein^iL m'-?H4 m<?vement by the Bishop of Lon- of the metronoiu^. « Prl[ng to meet the spiritual wants f0,1°Wed byaiImUtte<Iurt th of Ghent, states that Dr, Clifford, thn far?) ii v Bishop of Clifton, is about to receive thp ,il at| and Bishop Errington will be called to Wiseman "estminster, vacant by the death of Cardinal The government have now determined to arm the whole of the cavalry with carbines on the breech-load- mg principle, and have selected the Westley Richards' arm as the arm of the service. The Prince of Wales hunted with the Windsor harriers on Saturday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer's prediction, that if Parliament consented to abolish the duty on paper wa should see coaches made of this material, is about to ha partly realised. A carriage company, under the Limited Act, has been formed at Birmingham, for the purpose of bringing Into use various Improvements. The most im- portant of these is the use that will be made of paper in the construction of the vehfeles. All the panels will be of the substance or rather of paper-machie, the great peculiarity of which is its resemblance to leather, though considerably stiffer and tougher than-that material. Every portion of the carriage usually made of wood will be made of paper and^thecost of construction will, it is said, be considerably