The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

THE COURT. --+-- THE Queen h&s been eAjoying1 the bracing ail' 0 Balmoral, and during the delightful weather expe- rienced last week her Majesty took numerous walks and drives in the vicinity of the eastle. HER MAJESTY, it is said, will visit Germany m August next, and on the 24,th of that month will meet the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Prince and Princess Royal of Prussia, the Prince and Princess of Hesse, and all the members of the Royal family who intend to be prese-.t at the inauguration of the statue ■of the late Prince Consort. THE Prince and Princess of Wales still remain at -Marlborough-house. Her Royal Highness is fast re- gaini-mg strength; in the meantime the Prince of Wales is sustaining the honours and discharging the duties of the Court with that freedom and energy to which "the nation is fast becoming accustomed. On Monday he opened the Dramatic College-hall. In the evening h dined with the Duchess of Cambridge at Kew. On Tuesday he dined at" Earl Spencer's. On Wednesday he held a levee on behalf of her Majesty, paying a. visit to the Strand Theaitre in the evening. On Thursday 'he held an investiture of the Order of the Eath. On Friday evening he attended a ball at Apsley-house; and on Saturday he dined at the Fishmongers'-hall. -1-Ier Royal Highness, the Princess, and the infant Prince are, as intimated, both doing remarkably well. Thi9 week His Royal Highness visited Ascot races, travelling from London by rail and returning to town the same evening. THERE is just a faint rumour (says the Court Journal) that the infant Prince will receive the name of Christian, after the Royal Dane his grandfather. THE Queen has now eight grandchildren, six of whom are boys. BY the gracious permission of the Queen, the East Terrace of Windsor Castle was opened to the public on Whit Monday and Tuesday. On the latter day the walks were crowded by the 4Nic of the country, who had come to Eton's annual celebration. This is the first time this noble promenade has been open on the above days during the last four years.

POLITICAL GOSSIP. I Pope has a serious quarrel with the Emperor of Mexico, as may be gathered from the fact that his Holiness is about to withdraw his Nuncio from Mexico. WE regret to hear that the Premier's progress towards complete convalescence is not by any means 'so rapid as his hundreds of thousands of well-wishers could desire. TEE King of Portugal, on the occasion of the pub- lication of the "Histoire de Jules Cesar," has con- ferred upon the Emperor Napoleon the collar and srrand cordon of the Order of Scientific and Artistic Merit, a distinction to which three individuals only have yet attained. THE French think that it is as delicate a compli- ment to the Emperor of the French as has yet been .Paid to him apropos of the "Life of Caesar" that the ■Qaeen of England has p!aced the name of the English 'translator of his Majesty's work upon the list of those ^ho are recipients of literary pensions. SANDWICH ISLANDS papers state that great. excite- ment was caused by a midshipman of the British ship lio, who removed the national ensign from the American Legation during the rejoicing over the fall Of Richmond. The captain of the Clio compelled the Oiidshipman to restore the flag and make a public apology, after expressing his own regret. THE Empress-Regent of France, preparatory to. re turning into the hands of the Emperor the exceptional Powers with which she has beea for some time in- vested has issued the subjoined decree:—" Napoleon, by the' grace of God and the national will Emperor of the French, to" all whom these presents may concern, greeting. On the proposal of our Minister of the Interior, we have decreed, and do hereby decree as follows:—'Art. 1. The warnings given up to the present date to the periodical publications of Paris and the departments, in virtue of the organic decree of the Y'th February, 1852, and the modifying law of the 2nd 1861, are considered as null and void. Art. 2. 'Our Minister of the Interior is charged with the ^^cution of the present decree.'—Done at the Palace rj, the Tuileries this 8fch day of June, 1865. For the ^peror, and in virtue of the powers which he has '^Ppfided us, EUGENIE.—(Countersigned) LAVALETTE, ^Joiater of the Interior." THE Press last week gave a prominent place to the following announcement, which must be accepted, of bourse, with the reservations common to unconfirmed statements :—We very much regret to learn that, owing to increasing infirmities and failing health, the Premier will retire from public life as soon aa the •pending appeal to the country is concluded. His col- leagues, anxious to avail themselves of the popularity attached to his name, are exerting themselves to bring the session to a close as speedily as poesible. We have "teaeon to believe that in consequence of Lord Palmer- 's toe's contemplated retirement, negotiations have \bee:a carried on by some ef the leaders of the Liberal Party, and an attempt will be made to form a Ministry ^ith Earl Russell as Premier and Mr. Gladstone as leader of the House of Commons. The programme will be a new reform bill, and the spoliation of the Irish Church. We have received this information on the best authority. MEMBERS of Parliament have been busy during the Past week is addressing their constituents, and jfrfcking terms for their re election. There are many ■fresh candidates in the field, however. Some of their !!i.mes the majority of persona are familiar with-a second son of the Earl of Derby, a son of the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, &c., whilst the candidate for ^rliament' at Waterford is M. Napoleon Bonaparte jfyse, son of the- late .Sir Thomas Wyse and the princess Lasfcitia, daughter of Lucien Bonaparte, "rinee of Canino, and uncle of Napoleon III. IN answer to Mr. Grant Duff in the House of Com- mons, ttie other evening, the Fir-st Commissioner of PublicWor k«, Mr. Cowpe: expressly admitted the claim of me London University, which now examines* 3>bove a thousand students every year, to a fitting jocal habitation of ita own, which it has never yet toad, It borrowed rooms for a long time from the Inland Revenue-office in Somerset-house, and has sinoe been permitted to lodge—with the Geographical *tad a number of other soaieiiaa—at Burlington-house. A learned body, growing iu importance and public Illflueuce every year, with a convocation that must have electoral functions as soon as the aexb change is tQ&da jjj Q-QJ; constitutional machinery, ia clearly en- titled to a separate and. somewhat stately abode of ita t .,own.

t THE ARTS, LITERATURE, &c. E. 'W. CAVE THOMAS has been commissioned to P^iot the Twelve Apostles for the HBW ohuroii of the Russian Embassy. —' tv ■» i sudden death of the artist William Dennolm .elatedy was recorded last week. The present ex- lbition of the Academy contains one of his pictures, "the Land of Poeay and Song." Mr. Kennedy was ? native of Dumfries, where he was born June 16th, 13. WE hear, says the Athcneewm, thatthe preparations holding an Eisteddfod in the ancient eastle of 'int are proceeding most satisfactorily, and that the ^angements are now pearly completed. Sir Johi fsnmer, Bart., M.P., is the president for the firs ,a. Mr. Hugh Jones, Maesmynan (ex. sheriff of Lor On), for the second; and Mr. P. Ellis Eyton (a gentb of high literary attainments), for the third. TEE portrait of the Prince of Wales, which hs t been plsoed in the Middle Temple-hall, "nil tn a fine addition to the collection of State pJ- es belonging to that Society, embracing te deigns from Charles 1. to George I. inclusie. leniost striking of these is the noble e(luestisn rtl.,it of Charles I., by Vandyke (one of the tfcee to be by his hand), which has hung in :he ■^Temple-hall since 1684, when it was aeqiied the Ujety. Charles II.'s portrait is reputed t be WOT&, £ Sir Godfrey Kneller. It represents-the 19 in robes wearing the Garter. Itis a vndly s work, though the flesh tints lave )pened. draperies are unrivalled, so nely i they and so brilliantly coloured. The ;trait oi .een _^nae wa8 painted froir life the soar Ifc appearB from their reords fv oi November, 17,02, the bechers ected tnei ,surer to put up her Maasty's £ ure at tne d q{ th(J haUj over theoench t.e, and j3rawn by Mr. Dahl, unks the ti^urer ■ e a make use of another .and. I fnrlr oV^en, and a rival of feller. Butjhe Y f0$B.y selected a Scottislurtist, TMw Murray, «y/worb> Ti}0 abJy.eseute4 portrait of KMlg William III. is also by Murray, who, according toii Bryan's Dictionary of Painters," vol. ii., p. 3, was one of the most eminent artists of his time, and was employed to paint the portraits of the Royal Family and many of the principal nobility. His pictures had the merit of a faithful^ resemblance, and were freshly and chastely coloured." HONOURS fall thickly on the "Homer of Earl Derby. It has reached a fifth edition. In its day the original was scarcely so renowned. THE Dowager Lady Combermera is now collecting and arranging materials for a memoir of her late gal- lant husband, which will be published in November. MR. BANTING, author of the "Letter on Corpu- lence," has, through Mr. Charles Dickens, contributed £50, part of the profits oi his pamphlet, to the Printers' Pension Society of London. MR. COLLIER'S newest illustration of Old English Literature is a reprint of the "First Booke of the Pr servation of King Henry tho Seventh when he was but Earle of Richmond, Grandfather to the Queen's Majesty." The tract was printed m 1599. MH. and Mas. S. C. HALL have just introduced to the public a delightful book, called "A Week at Killar- ney." If the authors were not mentioned any reader would eaailv discover that it was written by talented hands, and'would highly appreciate the work. THE "Life of Richard Cobden" is announced, by T. Mc'Gilchrist, in which the author quotes the fol- lowing lines of Eliza. Cook as applicable to the cha- racter of this great Corn Law agitator: s< A ■home-bredCaspar thou bast been; Whose bold and bright career Leaves on thy brow the wreath of green, On which no crimson drop is seen, No widow's bitter tear." The work will be illustrated with four photographs— a portrait of Mr. Cobden, of Dumford-house, of Mid- hurst, and ft West Livington Church. IDA CLIFFORD, or the Voice of God in a Dream," is the title of a very wholesome and interesting fiction recently published. Although betraying a certain crudeness belonging to a first essay, its author (Arthur Montgomery) proves his claim to thetitle of a novelist, by the power cf observation exhibited in the many original and well delineated characters who carry on the action of the story. It is a volume that may worthily be laid upon the family table. THE Emperor Islapoleon's I Lifeo f Cassar" has been brought out both in French and English (the latter being tha t-anslation of Mr. Wright) by Messrs. Harper, of New York. Csesar is accordingly a topic in the American preso, and one of the papers, turning the subject to account, recommends all who are for hanging Jefferson Davis to "read over and over again the Speech of Julius Caasar, who opposed Cioaro upon the hanging or the strangling of the followers of Catiline." HEADS and Hands in the Worla of Labour" is the work of a benevolent and intelligent man, Dr. Blaikie, th3 author of Better Days for Working People," bT the success of which he was astonished and almost alarmed." That the doctor will again ex- perience sich an agreeable kind of astonishment and alarm is nore than he can reasonably hope. Bat popularity among a certain class of well-intentioned and simpe readers may be confidently predicted for Heads md Hands," which describes the means whereby iertain great employers endeavour to ame- liorate tha moral and intellectual condition of their working )eople, and exhorts less conscientious capi- talists togive heed to their responsibilities.

The Hungarian Poet.—Such of our readers as have been present at the French recitations in Paris of the celebrated Hungarian poet, Hugo, or have heard of the furore which he recently created at the Salle Hertz, will be pleased to learn that this gifted poet has arrived in London, and purposes giving a public soiree, when he will recite his much-admired tragedy. L'Iliade Finie, 'or The Iliad Completed In this place no less than eight characters are introduced, four male and four female, each of which requires a, distinct modulation of the voice as well as appropriate gesticulation. The accomplishment of this toity- de i force is not less astounding than the extraordinary powers of memory displayed by Hugo, who declaims l the entire tragedy without the aid of a prompter.

TOPICS OF THE WEEK. --+-- M. TillERS ON FRENCH POLICy.-M. Thiers has made a speech in the French Chambers, distinguished by all his former vivacity, energy, and acuteness. Conforming himself to the circumstances of his day, he disclaims alike for the Assembly in which he has a, seat the power of the Executive, or the responsibility of initiative legislation, but asserts it to be alike within the duty, functions, and exclusive prerogative of the elected representatives of the people to control, superintend, and direct the financial expenditure of the country. His speech consists of two parts: a complaint of the extravagant outlay in every depart- ment of the State; and an exposure of the deceptive system of supplementary Budgets, by which the true condition of the national exchequer is concealed from the public view. On the first of these questions M. Thiers alleges that the sums spent in the restoration of the Tuileries, the erection of opera-houses, the creation of boulevards, the improvement of Paris, the building and decoration of residences for provincial prefects, the maintenance of armies in Rome, Mexico, and Algeria, are far in excess of the necessities of the occasion, or of the resources of the country. On the second he proves that these five Budgets may be divided, after the fashion of the suggestion of "Pair" in the Critic, as the Budget ordinary, the Budget extraordinary, the Budget supplemental, the Budget rectificative, the Budget final; and that while the revenues*of the country are adequate to meet an outlay of two thousand million of francs, the actual outlay is brought up by the successive Budgets to an excess of two and three hundred million of francs. He advocates the evacuation of Mexico, the reduction of the army, greater economy in the internal fiscal regulations of the Treasury, by more care in the dotatio'n of railways, in the improve- ment of harbours, and in the administration of public works. His speech was received by his auditors with every sign of acquiescence and approval, and will pro- duce an impression alike on the Government and on the country, which subsequent explanations offered by M. O'Quin, the Government reporter of the com- mittee, will not materially modify or remove. It is a healthful-sign, full of good augury for the future of France, when one of her citizens, most illustrious by his political experience, and high station, comes for- ward uninfluenced by sentiments of fastion, or of hos- tility to the Imperial regime, and in a spirit of true patriotism lifts the voice of warning, and points out, without rancour or exacerbation, the means by which a too wasteful expenditure may be reduced to propor- tions consistent with the revenues. The prompt provision of the Lttdos Circenses et panem may be pardoned in the beginning of such a crisis as that which gave tha supreme Government to Napoleon III. If persisted in as a normal system, it will sure to bring with it its own fatal retribution. The voice of the warning oracle ought not to be uttered in vain.-Thc Press, METROPOLITAN WORKHOUSE HOSPITALS:.—The attention of the public having been directed to the treatment of the sick paupers in workhouse hospitals, particularly by the case of Daly at the Holborn and that of Gibson at the St. Giles's Workhouse, we are gratified to find that the Poor- Law Board are directing such inquiries to be made as will fully expose the defects of the present management, and suggest remedies for their removal. A report has just been printed for the House of Commons which shows the condition of these hospitals, particularly ia respect to the amount and nature of the accommodation, the aa.Ritary arrangements, the character of disorders admitted for treatment, and the kind of nursing pro- vided for their care. With respect to the amount of accommodation, we fiud that, of the male hospitals in the thirty-five Unions of the Metropolitan district frootwhich correct returns were made, ten were full, three were overflowing, and thirteen had spare beds not-exceeding ten in number; so that in twenty-six workhouses the hospitals may be said to be quite full. The female hospitals are somewhat less crowded in seven cases, however, they were quite full, in'one overflowing; and we have heard that it is the practice to make up beds upon the floor in order to supply the extra accommodation thus required. Two workhouses alone appear to be provided with a large number of spare beds, and when we find that there are besides the sick in hospital 6,549 aged and infirm per- sons who require constant medical care, we cannot help thinking that many of these would be better in hospital, provided there was room for them. In the next place, we observe that the kind of accommodation is extremely defective. There are 461 wards, of which the cubic contents are given and the number of beds. In more than three-fourths the space allotted to each bed does not exceed 600 cubic feet, whilst in thirty- three instances it is less than 400 cubic feet. The regulation of the Poor-Law Board provides that each sick bed shall be provided with 500 cubic feet of space, but this regulation is evaded in 185 instances, showing the great necessity of placing these hospitals under competent medical inspection; but it may be re- marked that the provision of the Poor-Law Board is mush too little. In the army every hospital bed must have 1,200 cubic feet of space; in the metropolitan charities, from 1,300 to 1,500 cubic feet is the very lowest estimate, whilst the wards of several contain 1,760 cubic feet, and one at least 2,000. There is no poison so subtle or depressing as the emanations from the sick, and no remedy so cheap or so effectual aH a large space and unlimited supply of fresh air. Cure is all but impossible, and canvalescence is always retarded in confined sick wards, and it is to be feared that the enormous amount of chronic disease which encumbers the workhouse hospitals must be greatly increased from this cause. There e at the .present time not less than 6,400 sick in the workhouse hospitals, of which not quite one-third are acute cases susceptible of cure. As the able-bodied inmates form a proportion of only 13 per cent, there is scarcely any of this class who can be spared from the household duties which the large proportion of aged, Infirm, and children necessarily entails. What, then, are the means provided for nursing tho sick? In 41 workhouses there are 71 paid nurses, but as 30 of them are employed at St. Pancras and Marylebone, there remain 41 nurses for 39 workhouses. IS hospi- tals have no paid nurses, and 16 have only one each. In two of these the persons so returned act in the capa- city of assistant-matrons, and have but little to do with the management of the sick, who are therefore committed to the care of paupers suffering from old age or infirmity of some kind. There are 859 pauper nurses; of 11 employed at one place 6 are over 70 years of age, and one only ia less than 50. Of 7 employed at another the majority are over 60, and they have charge of 83 beds, nearly all full, without any paid assistance whatever. Such a state of things surely cannot last in this civilised country. In Paris we cannot visit any quarter of the city without being struck with the palaces which have been converted into hospitals for the incurable and aged. We have so neglected a great duty. We have consigned the sick, aged, and infirm to work- -houses, which were intended as a test to prevent im- position upon the poor-rates. They are no longer in- habited by the idle and dissolute, but by those whose age or misfortunes should entitle them to better fare. We hear that the Workhouse Visiting Society, which has for a long time passed directed its attention to this important subject, has urged upon the Poor-Law Board the importance of placing those and similar hospitals under the inspection of competent medical men. Such inspectors are found necessary in the army .and navy hospitals, and in asylums for insane. This department of the public medical service is the only one not subject to medical control, and we cor- dially hope that the recommendation of the society will be speedily attended to.-Spect(J..tor.

HINTS UPON GARDENING. 4. IN all gardens shifting, where necessary, must now receive attention. A compost, consisting of three parts fibrous peat, in a lumpy state, one part free turfy loam, and a little silver sand, will suit most kinds of hard-wooded plants, with the exception of heaths, which succeed best in peat without any ad- mixture except.thafi of a little silver saHd. In potting take care to secure thorough drainagei over which may be placed a little broken or pounded charcoal. Wlowex Garden and Plant-houses. Now is the time to encourage rapid and sturdy growth in hard-wooded plants. A constant stopping of gross shoots will be necessary, in order to equalise the distribution of sap and encourage the lower parts of the plant to develop themselves. Oat of doors, early bulbs now ripening, if turning yellow, should be taken up, or the greater portion of their leaves tnmmed away. Verbenas, petunias, and such things should be frequently pegged down where it is requi- Eifcfj to cover the surface of the beds speedily. AURICULAS.—Let those now occupy a cool shady) situation. Green-flv, to which they are subject, must j be kopt in check. If infected, remove the plants to a ) pit. in order that they may be effectually fumigated, ) BALSAMS AND COCKSCOMBS.—These must now be encouraged to grow freely, giving them a little weak liquid manure occasionally, and accommodating them with larger pots as they may require them. CAMELLIAS.—Keep these close, moist, and warm, until their growth is completed, when more air and less moisture should be given in order to cause them to form flower-buds. _CARHATIONS AND PJCOTBSS.—Let the main shoots of these now be oarefully tied to neat stakes. Remove dead leaves and top dress with finish sweet soil. Destroy green-fly. O-LNISKAKIAB.—Cut down such as are out of flower to within two or three inches of the surface. Stir and top-drews with light soil. A north aspect is the best at this season. Take cuttings as soon us they can be had for early flowering plants. DAHLIAS.—Keep these regularly and well watered and secure tbem to stages as they advance in growth.' GLOBE AMAKANTHTTS.—These may receive the same treatment m balsams and cockscombs. HOLLYHOCKS.—Give these a good watering, and then muloh afterwards, giving them a good soaking once or twice a week according to the weather. Tie the plants to strong stakes. P.A.-bTsi.r,s. -Propagate these whenever cuttings can be obtained. They strike best on a shady border under small hand-glasses. PELAB<IONIUMS.—Plants in flower will require to be carefully shaded. Water freely every morning and give as much air as possible in order to dispel stagnant moisture accumulated during night and dull weather. Stake and neatly tie the later flowering plants. Seed- lings should now be selected, discarding any which are not decided improvement on known kinds. TULIPS.- Uncover all out of bloom, but protect from heavy rains, which might be injurious. ¡ Hardy Fruit and Kitchen Gardes. I GIVE the wood of peaches a thorough thinning don't reserve a shoot more than is wanted for next year. This, and keeping down the insects, is the way to obtain success. OELERY. Take advantage of showery weather, should it occur, to prick out young plants. PSAS,—Sow for succession as may be required. RIDGE CUCXJIHBEIIS.—These, gourds, and vegetable marrows may be planted now; the first two in the usual way on prepared beds of rich soil, with the temporary protection of handlights; the last in vacant places where proper stations for vigorous growth can be s-ecured.—Gardeners' Chronicle.

OUR MISCELLANY. --0-- C-eese, dull as they are, imitate men. Notice, that if one of the flock drinks the rest follow. I "Wily should a quill pen never be used in inditing a, secret matter ? Because it is apt to split. A hypocritical fellow in Athens inscribed over his door, "Let nothing evil enter here." Diogenes wrote under, "By what door does the owner come in p Hookey.—The editor of a Yankee paper says he can generally manage, by hook or by crook, to get up a pretty good paper." A contemporary says he does it principally by hook-meaning scissors. Rest and be Tliankful.-A rev. member of the Free Church Synod of Glasgow and Ayr informs the compositors of the daily press that it is their duty to spend the whole twenty-four hours of the Sabbath in rest, and other exercises. A Wise Judge.-A Massachusetts judge has decided that a husband may open his wife's letters, on the ground (so often and so tersely stated by Mr. Tbeophiius Parsons, of Cambridge) that husband and wife are one, and that one is the husband J All Waste.—Dr. Wing being asked where a young lady's VJaist began, replied, "At ths altar. The moment they have you trapped they come down on your pocket-book like a hawk upon a May bug. After they are married they are all waste." What a libel- lous fellow Susan., stand up to let me see what you have learned. What does oh-a-i-r spell ? "I don't know, marm." "Why, you ignorant critter, what do you. al ways .yoL sit on ? Oh, marm, I don't like to tell." What u on airth is the matter with the gal ? tell me, what is it P "I don't like to tell: it was Bill Gross's knees, but he never kissed me but twice." "Airthquake and apple sauce," exclaimed the schoolmistress, and she fainted.—-American Paper. A Puzzler I-The following is the verdict of a negro jury We, de undersigned, being a korner's juray to sit on de body ob de nigger Sambo, now dead and gone afore us, hab been sittin' on de said nigger aforesaid, did on de night ob de fusteenth ob IsTo- vember come to def by fallin' from de bridge ober de riber in de said riber, whar we find he was subse- quentially drown, and a'terwards washed on de riber side, whar we s'pose he was froze to def." A Poet's Epitaph.-A gifted poet has perpetrated the following epitaph on the late Floyd Floyd has died, and few have sobb'd, Since had he lived all had been robb'd: He's paid Dame Nature's debt, 'tis said— The only one he ever paid. Some doubt that he resign'd his breath. But vow that he has cheated even Death. t If he is buried, ob, then, ye dead beware; Look to your swaddlings, of your shrouds take care, Lest Floyd should to your coffins make his way, And steal the linen from your mouldering clay." The Wind at Night.- I am listening in the twilight,—for the windf blows from the west; The trees would fain be sleeping, but he will not let them rest. He is like some wizard minstrel, when his giant hand he flings On his world-wide instrument, the woods, and sweeps its mystic strings. He is coming nearer, nearer, and I hold my breath in dread, While his solemn guns go booming through the dark- ness overhead. But lest his marshal thunder should too much. oar souls appal, How sweet his mournful cadences, that gently rise and fall! The trees so stately swaying, what legends rare they tell Of summers gone, of wintry storms, of how their comrades fell! And their stems show white and ghastly, when the fitful moonlight gleams Through the chasms in the flying clouds, like the shapes that scare our dreams. Yon tall elm's topmast tossing boughs fantastic shapes assumo Of cavaliers that fiercely ride with streaming cloak and plume; Dark brigands seem to chase them, up-starting fell and wild: How often in the twilight I have watched them from a ehild! Hark J the wind sweeps through the fir trees with a sound the shingles make When some monster wave retreating draws them downwards in its wake. Tnere's a song that I've forgotten, save each, verge's sad refrain— How the wind that crossed the mountains crazed the heart-sick lover's brain. My heart is sound, my brain is clear; in air on land or sea, There's music none like these wild songs the west wind sings to me. ° rrl, „ -Temple Bar. The President and. the Deserter. The President s servant, 11 Old Daniel," related an instance ot his being moved to pardon a deserter on the applica- i? ,hl3 wife. The man had already furbished a substitute, then waa made drunk by some companions and induced to enlist; when he became sober he deserted, believing that he had done his duty by the Government in having furnished a substitute. For this he was sentenced to be shot. The wife came to the White House with her baby in her arms. She had been," said Old Daniel, "waiting here three days, and there was no chance for her to get in. Late in the afternoon of the third day, the President was go. ing through the back passage to his private rooms to get a cup of tea or take some rest. On his way through he heard the little baby cry. He instantly went back to his office and rang the bell. I Dan;el,' said he, is there a woman with a baby in the ante-room ?' I said there was, and, if he would allow me to say it, I thought it was a case he ought to see; for it was a < matter of life) and death. Said he, Send her to me at once.' She went in, told her sfory, and the President pardoned her husband. As the woman came out from his presence, her eyes were lifted and her lips moving in prayer, the tears streaming down ber cheek3. I went up to her, and pallinz her shavi said, Madaar», it was the baby that did it.—Pras&r's Mayas*)]*. Gold Trimmings.- A rage for gold trtmtninfs, both at daylight and- candldight, suddenly appears) so nave seized the entire feminine community. A I, the; Derby, the spangled veils fringed with aequtn.-i were glittering everywhere, and gold bands were worn across innumerable foreheads. The do wers which aire used for headdresses, and likewise for adorning bell- nets, are now counted on thick gold sterna. J:, is CariiOrnia running wild, and all classes patronise this sudden invasion-ladies of high degree, as well as publicans wives, wore gold spangled veils, gokl spangied nets, and gold coronets or bands, at the Derby. These trimmings are the most sucoessfEi when used upon black tulle. Very pretty bonnets have been made lately with black lace and bands of ribbons with the grccque worked in gold haa-ds at the top of the crown, which crown consists of sprays <;i gold oats. A band, either blue or mauve, whichever best suits the complexion, worked likewise with the Greek design in small gilt beads, being worn across the forehead-long gold earrings at tbe side—these- form all the cap. In fact, the bonnets have now no sides worth mentioning, so that there is no room fc" a cap. Sequins are everywhere, they are round the edges of veils, they are upon nets for the back hair, they are used for bandeleta for dog-collar neeklaoea, and even for dress and mantle trimmings. Parasols, too, are not exempt from the bead and drop mania—black silk parasols are worked thickly over with jet beards; blue ana. pink parasola with crystal beads, silver beady, steel beads-but to our taste the most successful are the white silk parasols, which have two rows of coral peads round them as a border, the tips and liandfes being likewise of coral. Satin parasols are tho newest variety, but we cannot say that they are by any meass very generally worn. White silk parasols lined with pins silk and without fringe of any description are very general in the mosfashionable promenades and drives.—Queen. Life of an Unfortunate Poet, -Some few years since the praises of an English Burns, to wit, one John Clare, a Northamptonshire peasant, were very gene- rally sung by the patrons of literary merit. He was a nine days' wonder, passed from out of sight arc; hearingoftbe world that was charmed with his simp'e melodies, and died a short time since forgotten in one of the wards øf a lunatic asylum near his birthplace. Occasionally some few persons, attracted to the plasce by the rumour of the poor poet, visited him in his confinement, and to them, when in a communicative mood, the poor crazed man would tell h'!lw he had fought and conquered at Waterloo, andied the British army to victory. When last seen he was graduaUy sinking, and in the spring of the year the poet died. Many of his poems will long live *n the English language; some of his verses were Eet to music by Rossini, some were recited by Mad-ame, Yestris before crowded and admiring audiences, and Gilford, in ttee Quarterly Review, eulogised in the highest terms the- poetical genius of the farm labourer of Helpstca. A sad change from all this was the closing days of the poet. For twenty-two years he was an inmate of the Northamptonshire Lunatio Asylum. By the kindn,isf, of Earl Fitzwilliam and the parochial authorities of Northampton he was treated as a private patient, and placed in one of the best wards of the asylum, b\t during the whole twenty-two years not one of all his former friends and admirers, not one of his great or little patrons, ever visited him. This he bore quietly, though he seemod to feel it with deep sorrow that even the members of his own family kept aloof from him. "Patty" never once showed herself in the twenty-two years, nor any of her children, except the youngest son, who came to see hia father once. This long neglect preyed upon his mind until it at last found vent in one of his finest and noblest coin po- sitions,- "lam! yet what I am who cires o ? knows f My friends forsake me like a memory lost I am the self- consumer of my woes; They rise and vanish an oblivious host. Shadows of life whose very soul is lost; And yet I am-l live-though I a.m tosS'(( Into the nothingness of scorn and nois<33 Into the living sea of waking dreams^ Where there is neither sense of life nor joyJ, But the huge shipwreck of my own esteem And all that's dear. Even those I lov'd the best Are strauge- nay, they are stranger than the rest," Mr. Martin has written the life of this poor but Heaven-gifted poet, and has been fortunately able to collect from private letters and various other sources of information a large amount of details conncctfd with the life of John Clare.

TREATMENT OF JEFFERSON BAV1.&, The special correspondent of the Standard says r Jefferson Davis is now immured in the strongest celt of the most impregnible fortress on this continent chained, if we are to believe the statements cf cat- newspapers, to the floor of a dungeon, furnished with special horrors for his reception. We are told that when the menials of the Government began the wcik of manacling him he wept most bitter tears; and our magnanimous journals gloat with delight ovor every pang thus wrung from the soul of the Confederate President. It seems to me—although having lived go long among my countrymen I ma.y be mistsken-it seems to me that in other countries, and at other times, honesty of motiva, purity of heart, flawWie patriotism, stern integrity in and out of ofliee, unswerving fidelity to the precepts of Christiaa civilisation, have gone for something even in a defeated foeman; and that success has found ifcg most lustrous crovvn in the recognition of valour, Tiiken from slaip to shore, and marched to the gloom v fortress under heavy guard, Mr. Davis has been placed. in a casemate cell, which masons and carpenters lvasi exhausted their art to strengthen. Given neither books nor papers with which to solaca the wearv hours, forbidden to speak to the guards who kerrt constant ward over him, he wai at "last sr/9 i.L Inquirer, handcuffed and chained to the floor And it is added, he is to be allowed no lightg Q.fter night;.faH -ec no person is to be permitted to speak to him— ;8, in short, codsigned to a living tomb. I hope, for the sake of the American name, for the sake of 'all that men consider decent, that these direct statements are at least grossly exaggerated. But they are given with such attention to detail, they are told with such manifest delight, that I fear there is something besides imagination in them. Oae thing, however, I t&e responsibility of denying. We are tola that wnen the irons were put upon Mr. Davis's wrists and ankles he struggled desperately, fought the guards and blacksmiths, was only overpowered by sheer brute fores, and was finally held to the doer, while the gaoler's assistant fastened the chains. If Mr. Davis was pianacled, as reported, he mado BO attempt to resist this infamous insult, but submitted to the inevitable then, as theretofore, with a gvaee and dignity, of which his assailants havo no conception. Every wanton insult put upon .Te:ftarecl1 Da.vis will result to his benefit. Chain him and upon him as they will, these exultant Pawnees do bust make a martyr of him—the eminent folly cf which will some day be perceptible even to their obnubilated minds. If the Federal Administration, would de;trol Mr, Davis most effectually it can best do so by treat- ing him with contempt. Gmng, out of the way to enwrap his condition with peculiar honours, ifc navs him with the greatest of compliments. Some d3;Y, perhaps, our people will find out that to ignore thp palpable is not tne wisest policy, and that a *r< £ t- man will be a great man under any circumstanced The following from the New York Herald of the 27th ult. would seem to show that no great is to be placed on the above :-The public P?'°'ef ynf mffned agamst credit to tbe I l Q f fTimore newsmonger relative to tbe K?K Davis at stress Monroe. The ^.fcory u permiuted to circulate by telegraph, and we print it to show what is considered essential W for the prevailing vicious appetite for sensations. If the Government have found it necessary to adopt extra precautions in the case of the prisoner, we are satis- fled that no unnecessary harshness has marked the treatment he has received. And the story, in the shape, in which it appears, is either an emanation from some rebel sympathisers, intended to create a feeling of commiseration for Davis, or it has been con- cocted to supply the lack of truthful intelligence on the subject of that individual's incarceration. if a censorship is of use at all, surely this is a case wherein it might be applied with some advantage. The Memphis "negroplot" belongs to the same eafcegory. of mendacious sensation rumours. The invite summary and severe punishment.