The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

x-. agriculture. > 0 Crib-Biting. Sundry questions having been asked by a subscriber to the Field as to the remedies for crib-biting, the following replies have been received In answer to your questions in the last Field, con- cerning crib-biting, I send you my experience on the subject. I have now a horse in my atable who, up to the end of last bunting season, showed inveterate signs of crib-biting, but was partly stopped by covering his manger with bitter aloes. This horse was sum- mered in a loose box and given one feed of corn a day, and when taken up for hunting this season showed no signs of crib-biting, except that when being groomed he would sometimes attempt to do so. I have, how. ever, prevented it, by racking him up short during this operation, and hope shortly to make him forget altogether the vice or habit—whichever it may be called—the latter I think the most appropriate name. My idea of the re as on of his being so nearly cared of the habit is as follows:—The horse learned it or took to it naturally during the operation of grooming, » having a very tender skin being in a loose box for six months without a brush being put to him. made him almost forget the habit: and now, if great care is taken not to groom him too roughly under the belly, and not to give him a cbance of catching hold of any- thing whilst he is being groomed, I think it will be quite possible to cure him altogether of it—-i.e., to make him forget it. No horse could have a better constitution, or be a better feeder, or carry more flesh on as little food, as the one I have been describing; so I cannot think, as is generally supposed, it is caused by bad digestion or a disordered stomach, but that it is merely a bad habit, very hard to be cared, and no doubt very injurious to the digestive organs. UBIQUE. Sir,—Will you oblige by inserting in your n*xt issue the following replies to questions relating to the vice of crib-biting in horses. These replies are the result of dearly- bought expe- rience in a horee of my ewn, as well as from observa- tion and practical acquaintance of the vice among cavalry horses of some years standing: 1, "Are there any premonitory signs of crib-biting, and how long does it take to make an animal a crib-biter ? In my there are no premonitory signs, and ahorse will become an accomplished cribber from the first timethat he lays hold of the manger, whether he does so by acci- dent or from imitating his neighbour—which I think is frequently the case amongst troop horses, it being no uncommon thing to find three or four, in a stable of twelve or fifteen horses, affected with this vice at one I bime. Although he does not do it so frequently as an old stager might do, it is difficult to detect any differ- ence in the manner of doing it between an old one and one just commencing to practise it. 2. "Is the suppression of the vice common, and if so, for what periods ? I think it is not commonly, although occasionally, the case. In the case of my own horse above alluded to, I will here relate the his- tory from the commencement. I was stationed at Aldershot in a Lancer regiment, and my horse had shown some few symptoms of being slightly amiss for a day or two previous to my obtaining a fortnight's leave of absence. On going away, I had him put into a loose box in the hospital yard, requesting the farrier- major to keep his eye upon him, keep him upon soft diet, and allow the upper half of the door to be open in the daytime (it was then summer), and not to have him exercised during my absence. On my return the first thing I saw on entering the yard was my own horse, with his head in the door place, and layimg hold of the top of the half-door, after the fashion of the most accomplished and invete- rate crib-biter. My disgust may be conceived, he being an animal likely to make a high price, and my hopes on that point being thus rudely dispelled. Up to the time my going away, he had never shewn the slightest symptom of becoming a crib-biter. I at once had this horse placed in a stable without a manger. Four months afterwards I left the regiment, taking the horse with me, and putting him in a large box which had a wooden manger across it, twelve feet long. He remained there six weeks, and was never seen to crib; and at that time was removed to another large box, also with a wooden manger in the corner of it; he immediately repeated the process of cribbing as though he had never left it off, and continued it ever afterwards, in whatever stable he might be placed. 3. Can veterinary surgeons tell how Isng an animal has been a crib-biter without a oomplete and satisfactory history of the case ? Only by the ap. pearance of the teeth; and even that depends upon the kind of manger—whether iron or wood-and also whether the horse is in the habit of drawing his teeth across the manger when being dressed, as many do; thus wearing the edges of the teeth away faster than the simple act of crib-biting would do. 4. Do crib-biters, as a rule, object to iron mangers ? I and is it possible for animals with this defect to be in a horsedealer's yard for a fortnight without giving signs of the vice P The cavalry stables at Aldershot, and some other barracks, are fitted up with iron I mangers, and I have never found horses object to them in the least. The latter part of question 4 I should answer in the affirmative, of which I have given you one instance at full length, and others I could adduce were it necessary. EX-LANCEB.

SIR FITZROY KELLY IN DEFENCE OF SIR JOHN BABLEYCOBN. Sir Fitzroy Kelly, as the leader in the House of Commons of the Anti-malt tax party, has made a suc- cessful beginning of the preparations for the intended assault upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the coming Session. A few days since Sir Fitzroy ad- dressed a numerous meeting in Suffolk, and with so much effect that the "leading journal" made an attempt to ridicule what could not be answered by fair argument and a just selection of counter state- ments. As the middle and humbler classes are un- doubtedly interested in this subject, we place Sir Fitzroy's letter to the Times, in reply to their own article, before our readers, that they may see how the agriculture of the country stands, so far as this can be explained by discussing the malt-tax. With bread and flour cheap, however, and meat, a glut in the market, in consequence of the farmers having been frightened into sending their ani- mals to make what they may, rather than risk an attack of the plague, this is not the best time to dis- cuss the importance of helping as much as possible the well. abused British farmer. But when the present streams of young and half-fed cattle have become nearly exhausted, and the railway cargoes are mere dribbles compared with present supplies and future wants, then, perhaps, we may turn to such a letter as Sir Fitzroy Kelly's, as the Manchester operatives did during the American war, and read it with ravenous eyes, to see if there be a glimmer of hope for a greater and better supply of meat, cheese, butter, and beer. This letter is as persuasive in respect to its reasoning, as it is elegant and smart in its style:— TO THE EDITOR OF THE "TIMES." Sir,—In an artiole on the malt-tax in your paper, you have done me the honour to ask certain questions concerning me which, though somewhat strangely ex. pressed, are entitled to every attention and to an answer. It is asked whether I believe that it would be consistent with the Free-trade doctrines which I advocate to repeal the malt-tax and retain all the other duties upon stimulants, home-made or im- ported ? My belief, sir, upon this or any other point is of little consequence, but upon the question itself I would remind you that the great principle of our financial policy from 1842 to the present day, the very basis of Free Trade, the cause and justification of the revival of the income-tax, declared and acted upon, first by Sir Robert, Peel, and last by Mr. Glad- stone, is the repeal of duties, and the removal of re- strictions upon the buying and selling, growing and making, importing and exporting of all articles of general consumption by the people. Upon this prin- ciple corn, the chief element of our food-cotton and wool, of our clothing—bricks and timber, of our dwellings—and even paper, the medium of our know- ledge, have all been set free; and the duties upon more than a thousand other articles, as well of foreign aed colonial as of British produce, have been either reduced or repealed. I would, therefore, in my turn venture to ask of you why the duty upon malt, the chief ingredient in beer, an article of British produce, of British manufacture, of universal consumption, especially by the labouring and the poorer classes, should be to this day not merely unrepealed and unre- duced, but increased by five per cent. upon its amount in 1820. "You speak of alcoholic stimulants in allusion, chiefly, I presume, to the spirit duties, Bat again I would ask you, is it just or fair to deal with beer upon the same footing as ardent spirits ia the consideration of a financial question p Beer is one of the necessaries of life to some two or three millions among the humbler classes of our countrymen. Spirits are the source of, perhaps, the greatest evil that hasfallenfupon society in our times; an article which constitutes a signal and admitted exception in the application of every principle of taxation an finance. It is one upon which, on grounds both of policy and morality, it has been well observed by Mr. Gladstone that the State ia justified in imposing the largest amount of taxation that can be levied, without occasioning by its excess a reactionary falling off in the sum it pro- duoes to the exchequer. But if beer be an alcoholic stimulant, so is wine. Let me ask you, then, on what principle of Free Trade or financial policy you say to the noblemen and gentlemen of England, You may drink your choicest wines, your claret, and hock, and champagne, to say nothing of port and sherry, at a duty of 2d. and 3d., 4d. and 5d. a bottle, instead of the enormous duties which your fathers and grandfathers have paid,' while you tell the farmer he shall not grow his barley for malt, but it shall be taxed at seventy per cent., and you compel the poor labourer in his cottage to drink his pint of beer taxed at the same rate as it was fifty years ago, au d at five times the amount that his forefathers paidfor lOOyears before he was born. T hen you follow the Presi- dent of the Board of Trade, and bring the tax upon tea into the argument. I must therefore venture on another question. Why is the duty upon tea, an article, like wine, of foreign produce, reduced from ninety-six per cent., at which it Was taxed some fifty years ago, to 6d. a pound, at which it stands now, while the duty upon malt, grown and made in England, is yet un. touched, or dealt with only to be increased. It is asked if I believe that the malt duty is a tax upon the people of < £ 20,000,000 a year. Again, my belief signifies nothing; but that the fact is so, as the be-st authorities seem to show, the amount paid by the public for the whole of the beer sold ia England is £ 60.000,080 a year, I unhesitatingly afilrea. But what- ever may be the real sum, my proposition is that one- third is paid by reason of the malt duty, and that if the malt duty were repealed the cost to the consumer would be one-third less than it it now. The price of beer to the purchaser is compounded of the cost of the barley and of converting it into malt, the duty upon the malt, the profit of the maltster upon the sale by him to the brewer, the cost to the brewer of the hops, the cost of brewing, the profit of the brewer upon the sale by him to the consumer, and, when he sells to the retail dealer, the profit of the retail dealer upon the sale by him to the purchaser at the bar or in the taproom. Now, J if any gentleman who happens to possess a brewhouse 1 will purchase one or ten quarters of barley, send it to a maltster's to be malted, pay him the cost of malting, and then the duty upon the somewhat larger quantity of malt produced, then purchase the hops and brew the whole into beer, he will find that his actual outlay has been about 64s. a quarter, and if he add to this 5a. for the cost of brewing, he will have brewed, for 69s. or 70s., 144 gallons (or with ten quarters of barley, with which this process has lately been gone through, 1,440 gallons (of beer as good as that which is now sold by private brewers to families at Is. a gallon, and better than that sold by publicans at the bar for 16d., and in the taproom at 20d. The dif- ference between the cost to the producers and the price to the consumers is the aggregate of the profits charged, and if the outlay be tracedfthrough all its stages, from the purchase of the barley to the sale of the beer, the duty and its proportion of the profits will be found to amount, as nearly as possible, to one- third of the whole price to the consumer. I am aware that one of our great brewers-Mr. Hanbury, I think —has asserted in the Times that the cost of brewing is 25s. upon the quarter of malt, which would, no doubt, make the malt-tax proportion of the price a fourth instead of a third. To this I can only say that, in the process I have described, and which any gentle- man who has a brewhouse may test for himself, the cost of fuel, and a large allowance for labour and the interest of capital and wear and tear of brewhouse and vessels, fell short of 5s.; and we have the high authority of Mr. Bass, one of the largest and beet brewers in England, that no farmer or labourer or other private individual can compete in the cheapness of brewing with the great established brewers. More- over, Mr. Gladstone himself has admitted the pro- portion occasioned by the malt-tax to be twenty per cent., or one-fifth of the whole price paid by'tha con- sumer the result of which is that the people (and that means the poorer classes of the people) pay X12,000,000 a year for between X5,000,000 and £ 6,000.000 that pass into the exchequer. I adhere to my own figures, but I might well accept Mr. Glad- stone's, and thank him for one, at least, of the many solid arguments to be urged against the malt-tax, although I could scarcely say- Hass mihi Arma dedit, posthsoc ne compellarer inultus. Your own polished allusions to myself and my sincerity towards the farmers I pass by. You may say what you will of me to them. Be assured they'll never come to you for my character.—I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, "FITZROY KELLY."

A DEFEATED CANDIDATE'S REVENGE. The Dublin Freeman says that one of the results of the recent election in the county of Monaghan is to be evictions on the most extensive and indiscriminate scale. Over thirty notices to quit have been served since the election on Mr. Shirley's Farney tenants. Many of them are represented as solvent tenants, who fulfilled their contracts, owed no rent, and received the notice only because they refused to vote for Sir G. Foster. Among: them are the Very Rev. Dean M'Maboh, parish priest of Carrickmacross, and Mr. Peter Hoey, one of the oldest and most improving tenants on the estate. He has, it is said, expended XI,000 on the house which he is noticed to surrender. Commenting on this proceeding, the Freeman says:— Of course, the law empowers Mr. Shirley to dispos- sess them all. He is not bound to give any reasons. They are tenants from year to year, and the landlord, at any time, may step in and demand possession. He may disconnect the process with political motives, but the notice to quit, follow- ing on the heels of the election, raises a strong pre- sumption that the tenants are to be punished for their votes. Would Mr. Shirley place himself for a moment in the position of these men, and ask himself how would he feel if he were punished by a superior power for hav- ing voted against its wishes? It were well for the peace of the county and the mutual confidence that should always subsist between landlords and tenants if these election proceedings were forgotten, and those notices to quit withdrawn. To evict such men as Dean M'MahoH, Mr. Hoey, and other solvent and re- spectable tenants, would sow the seeds of discontent in the county which might produce disastrous fruit. Mr. Shirley is not vindictive. On the contrary, we have heard he is gentle and generous in many things though he has a will of his own, and a very stubborn one, in matters political. We may find fault with his principles, just as he may with ours; but he is entitled to hold them and advance them in every way permitted by the constitution. It is only when he would punish in others the offences which he considers high party virtues in himself, that he comes under the jurisdiction of public opinion. We would impress on Mr. Shirley, and those who represent his property in Monaghan, to follow the example set by other landlords,: and leave conscience free. In Eng- land it is scarcely ever forced. In Ireland, liberty was the exception, HOW it is the rule. The late Sir Robert Peel said, to evict a tenant because he refused to vote in a particular way, was a tyranny than which, if general, he could conceive none more fatal to the liberties of the country, or more injurious to the true interests of the landlords themselves."

A WIFE SHOT BY HER HUSBAND. At a small village, called Cwinsyfwch, hear Black- wood, Monmouthshire, a fearful tragedy was perpe- trated on New Year's night by a collier named Ed- mund Morgan, who killed his wife, Elizabeth Morgan, by shooting her in the groin. The diabolical act has caused the greatest excitement in the neighbourhood, where the woman was much respected for her cleanly and industrious habits. The parties are each about twenty-five years of age, and they had one child. In consequence of the husband's dissipation the deceased led an unhappy life, and on his return home, about ten o'clock on Monday night, she told him that if he did not mend his ways she should leave him and take the child with her. Some words ensued and she left the house, but almost immediately returned and went upstairs. Her husband took up a double barrelled gun, loaded with duck shot, and followed her; and scarcely a minate had elapsed before a report of a gun was heard. A neighbour, Mrs. George, ran up stairs and found the deceased lying on the floor and the prisoner standing by with the gun in his hand, which she took from him and conveyed to her own house. During her absence the prisoner raised his wife, placed her on the bed, and lay down by her side. Dr; Henderson attended the poor woman, who lingered till about a quarter- past three o'clock, when she died in the greatest agony. Daring a few moments' convalescence she said her husband (who is in custody) shot her as she was sitting on the side of the bed, but she could not say how he did it. When taken into custody prisoner said the gan was not loaded, as he drew the charge. in the morning. On examining the second barrel of the gun the police found it loaded with duck shot.

A Fracas at a Coffee-stall. -George William Nugent, of Upper Berkeley-street, of no occupation, was charged at the Marylebone Police-court with an assault.—Richard Freeman, butcher out of business, said: Between one and two on Saturday morning he was on his way home, and being very cold he stopped at a coffee-stall in the Edgware-road and had a cup of coffee. Whilst there the prisoner and four or five other gentlemen came up and also had coffee. They took some in their mouths and spat it in his face. Not consent with that, they bonnetted his hat over his eyes, and the prisoner struck him under the ear. He took it as calmly as possible. He had a second cup of coffee, which they knocked out of his hand. They then put the old woman's fire out. He said it was a shame, when the prisoner struck him over the eye and cut it. He then gave him in charge.-William Barret, 132 D, said he saw the prosecutor's eye bleeding, and took the prisoner into custody. Prisoner was sober, but prosecutor was drunk.—The prisoner said he was passing the coffee-stall, and saw the prosecutor having an altercation with the woman about paying for his coffee. The prosecutor threw a cup of coffee into the fire and put it out. He (the prisoner) said it was a shame for him to do that, as the woman had to get a living. The prosecutor turned round, and struck him twice; and he only struck in self-defence.— William Marshall, a tradesman, said ha was passing along, and heard the altercation at the coffee-stall, and saw prosecutor throw a cup of coffee into the old woman's fire, which caused her to cry very much. Prisoner said it was a shame of him, upon which he (prosecutor) gave him two severe blows, and prisoner only returned the blows in self- defence.-Mr. Mansfield said the story for the defence was more probable than bbal-, for the prosecution, therefore the prisoner must be discharged.

SPORTS AND PASTIMES. --+- SNIPES are more than usually plentiful in Cornwall this season, and many excellent bags have already been made. A flock of at least 200 snipes flew over Truro on Sunday last. TURFITES generally, says the Sunday Times, will be much disappointed when they see the nominations for the New Year. The handicap entries fall far short of expectation, and the most important list of the whole series-the Chester Cap-was absent from Friday night's Sheet Calendar. Bookmakers will now become busy; they have had an exceedingly quiet time of it latterly, for, though several inquiries have been about outsiders for the Derby, little actual business has been noted by the reporters. Neither of the great three-year-old events seems to have agitated the public mind for the past fortnight or so; therefore, the handicap nominations, weights, and acceptances will be a boon. Solon and Mail Train have eaeh been freely supported for the Chester Cup. Though 128 are entered for the City and Suburban, it is realty 50 in number less than we had last year; and not only has the Great Metropolitan gone down from 94 to 75, but the Great Northamptonshire from 97 to 80, the Newmarkat Handicap from 67 to 46, and the Somersetshire from 82 to 65. At the decadence in the handicaps we are by no means disposed to cavil; for it is easily accounted for by the early holding of the spring meetings, and so much clashing and running into each other, owing to Easter falling so early, and advancing the Derby with it. The other events appear to have filled well; and Gladiateur has evidently a brilliant cup career before him. Sir Francis Holyoake Goodricke and Mr. C. W. Ramsay have paid Nature's debt since we last addressed our readers; and we fear that Captain John White, the very last connecting link of the old and new school, will be added to the roll very shortly. Ransome, of the Hampton Court stud, is ailing; and it is evidently a trying time with other popular sporting favourites. The various training districts report clean bills of health, and an immense number of juveniles have been brought up. All the Derby and Oaks tits appear to be doing well, and we are pleased to receive the most favourable accounts anent several Epsom out- siders." ENTRIES FOR THE CHESTER CUP. Ackworth Alberta Aid croft Attache Attack filly Auditor Baragah Barege colt Beelzebub Belgrave Belmont Black Prince Blithfield Blue Riband Billet-doux Bosworth Bradamante Brewer Buekroot Cambuscan Castanet Charley Chimney Sweep Claxtou Convent Copenhagen; Countess Crown Prince Cutaway Dagmar Dark Agnes Dalby Delight Don Basilio Dpraliee colt Dr. Swishtail Dr. Syntax Dubiety Ecclestou Elastic Eltham Endsleigh Fan Fantail Fidelity Gay Tom Goojerat Genetyllia Goojerat THE ] Accident Ace of Hearts Acolyte Agag Alcibiades Apethorpe Balder Ballyshannon Blood Boyal Blue Light Bridegroom Bristles 'Cabin Boy Cheerful Boy Chester Church Militant Columbia Cortolvin Creole Cutaway Cutler Dermot Asthore Duchess Effenberg Elsham Emblem Emblematic Frank Gamecock Garotter Gayhurst THE I Arbutus Begum Blithfield Bradamante Brahma Caithness Cambuscan Charmian Convent Cutaway Dalby Dark Agnes Delight Double Stout Drum Duneany Eltham Fan Fantail Gbillie Callum Glendale Gomera Gong Grappler Harry Brailsford Hawks well Helen Holly fox Holstein Honesty I Dare Ion John Davis Junius Jupiter Justice to England Kangaroo King Charming Kingfisher Lady Durham Lady Florence Lady of the Manor Lansdowne Leprochaun Life Guardsman Lion Lord Zetland Lima filly Little Goy Lively Lizard Mail Train Marco Spad4 Mephistopheles Merry Hart Messmate Miss Harriette Miss Williams Monitor Morris Dancer Moulsey Mr. Pitt Mrs. Allan Nukuheva Nutrition Oracle Palm Leaf colt LIVERPOOL STEEPLE l gbyStorm-Emma. g by Ribston Pippin Glasgow Glen cairn Hall Court Harcourt Heralys Hornet Ibelt Innellan Ivanhoff, Jack o'Newbury Jerry King of Hearts Knave of Trumps L'Africaine Laura Light Heart Lord George L. S. D. Magenta Marksman Merrimac Milltown Mistake Montrose Old Oswestry Ove) ton Penarth Philosopher Reporter LIVERPOOL SPRING Farce Filbert Grapeshot Helen Holstein Hopbine Jezebel Joker Junius Kingfisher Lady Durham Lima filly Little Goy (h b) Lord Conyngham Lord Zetland Lozenge Mephistopheles Merry Hart Pearl Diver Pepper's Ghost Perfumer Persuasion Pintail Planet Plutus Queen Mary Rather High colt Real Jam Red Cap Redmire Rose Cheri Salpinctes Saladin Sandal Scarborough School Girl Slieve Carne Solon Sportsman Staghound Success Surney The Back The Clown The Czar The Grinder The Primate Todleben Tommy Jones Treachery gelding Treasure Trove Vacuna gelding Valiant Vandervelde Vanguard Victorious Vulture Watchbox Wildair William Pitt Windham Wolf Dog Xi Zambesi Zenobia CHASE. Real Jam Rhcebus Rhodomontade Robin Hood Rook the Gardener Salamander Slxangharry Signal Sinking Fund Sir William Skiff Stanton Stella St. Lawrence Stormcock Sugar Candy Surney Sutton The Beau The Clown The Czar The Doctor The Game Chicken The Rogue Thomastown Vienna Vixen Volta West End Wilverley CUP. Miss Harriette miss Williams Nizam Oracle Palm Leaf colt Pirate Provisor Salpinctes. Sandford Sergeant Pacquot Sidewind Stieve Carne Three per Cent. Tina Twilight (h b) Valiant W audering Minstrel Watchbox

FACTS AND c.bristmas-boxes.- At Christmas-and so much the worso When money's tioh and business slack, When both in person and in purse One's had a bill-ious attack, Come crowds with ceaseless rings and knocks And each demands a Christmas-box The postman, who, with each rat-tat, Announced another batch of bills— The doctor,s lad-that odious brat Who brought my blisters, draughts, and pills— They come as punctual as clocks, And each demands a Christmas-box! The boy who brought the papers, too, Wherein my novel was cut up, And whence I learnt the horee I drew Had failed to win the Chester Cup- He comes amid the countless flocks, And, "Please, ha wants his Chrisbmas-box I,, The butcher's man, who jars my nerves With frantic pulling of the bell- The potboy, who the servants serves, And down the area yells his yell- They ask rewards for giving shocks, And each expects a Christmas-box! If Ovid's right, mankind received Within Pandora's ohest all banes- But there was something that relieved The long array of griefs and pains;— While, ah! there is, when one unlocks, No Hope within a Christmas-box \—Fun. Who is a bigger man than Anak ?—A-knack- er, to be sure. A good chorus for a man who has to sleep in the fields: "Too-rural! Too-rural! Too-rural-I-lay." Dr. Mott used to say that roast beef, serenity of mind, cold water' baths, and an amiable and pretty wife, would make almost any man healthy, wealthy, and wise. A Frenchman cannot pronounce "ship." The word sounds sheep" in his mouth. Seeing an iron- clad, he said to a boy, "Ieh dish a war. sheep p" No," answered the boy; "it's a ram." • ■renck author has lately said that the women m trance are such Blaves to fashion, that if the Empress should decree that they should go without clothes this summer, they would blush-to find them- selves dressed. Lord Erskine was giving an account of the people at the North Pole, when one of his listeners ex- claimed, What! is it possible they can live upon the seals ? Yes," replied the Chancellor, and deuced goad living too, if you can keep them." Awkward Coincidence.—An American divine I preached one Sunday morning from the text, Ye are the children of the devil," and in the afternoon, by a funny coincidence, from the words, "Children, obey your parents." j Sir Isaac Newton's nephew was a clergyman. When he had performed the marriage ceremony for a couple, he always refused the fee, saying, Go your already0""1 wre > ^ave done you mischief enongh „ I^riepds. — A clergyman travelling in California encountered a panther, of which ho subse- quently wrote aa follows:—"I looked at him long enough to note his brown and glossy coat, his big, glaring eyes, his broad and well-developed muzzle, and his capacious jawa when both of us left the spot, and, lam pleased to add, in opposite directions." ,i A good story is told of a recent smash.up on a Western railroad. A soldier who, in coming from Baltimore to Rock Island, had met with four acci- dents, was on this occasion in the car that completely turned over. Making his way through a window and gaining an upright position, he looked around' and coolly inquired, What station do you this ?" Do you know General X ?" said a wi% literary man, the other day, to a friend, as that dlsreeab16 old gent was going by. "No." "Look at hiÎb. wnå respect," said the first speaker. Why ? Because j the heels of his boots have seen the enemy." Amended Quotations.—By a baker: Familiar in their months as household bread. By a perruquier: Sweet auburn J loveliest tresses of tha plain. By a married man, whose better-half ia a long time in put- i ting her things on:— Hope springs eternal in the husband's breast, Wives never are, but always to be dress'd." By a champion of woman's rights: The wish was mother to the thought.—Punch's Almanack. A Little Impediment.—A speaker at one of the Colston dinners at Bristol, alluding to his constant attendance at a particular charity, boasted that had, through a long series of years, never been absent but once or twice, when he was stopped by death ot some little thing of the sort! i "They have a singular way of punishing robbery 1 in China," said a missionary, who had just returned I from the Celestial Empire, to a number of friends who J had called in to hear his account of things in that land of marvels. Does it cure the offender of his unfor- tunate propensities ?" eagerly inquired a "philan' thropist," whose interest in human beings was ifl exact ratio with their villainousness. Well," 10' plied the missionary, I never saw the punishment inflicted but once. I will. tell you how it was doneg and then you can judge for yourself as to its reclaim' ing and converting powers. They put the culprit into a large mortar, and then fired him headforemost against a stone wall." Josh Billings on Hens.—Josh Billings ta.lJ¡ learnedly as follows The best time tu sett a hen i when the hen iz reddy. I kan't tell you what the best breed iz, but the shanghigh is the meanest. I' costs az much to board one az it does a stage hoss, yu might az well try to fatt a fannin-mill bi runni# oats thru it. There aint no profit in keepin a hen f<Jt his eggs, if he laze less than one a day. Hens iz veil ) long-lived if they don't kontrakt the throat disseaze! ) there iz a grate menny goes to pot every year by th>f* melankoly disseaze. I kan't tell exactly how to pi<# out a good hen; but az a general thing, the long-eared ones I kno are least apt tew.skratch up a gardepj Eggs packed in ekal parts ov salt and lime water keep from 20 to 30 years if they not disturbed, Fresh beefstake iz good tor hens. I aerpose or ? pounds a day iz all that a hen would kneed at fust along. I shall be happy to advise with yu at any tin10 on the hen quesiton—and tak it in eggs." Curious Epitaph in Kudswiek Churell, Sussex, dated 1708. Without this Wall Lyeth the body of Crandley Dr. Edward Haines, For to maintain his family spared no pains To ride and to run, and to give reliefe To those which were in paine and griefe. Who the 30th April entered Death's straite gaite, From the birth of our Saviour 1708; i And about the age of 33, And had his father's virtues in every degree. J And left behind him, when he left this life, Two likely sons and a loveing wife, And about 36 weeks after j His wife and reliok was brought to bed with daughter; Which 3 we desire may live Not to beg, but to give. His eldest son Ed ward was then 6 years and 10 ØlontbS old, And John about 3-both dapper aad bold. Amongst all the doctors, though there are many, He is as much missed as any. Like to most mortals to his practise he was a slave > Hecatchedthe small-pox and died—and lies • his grave. Gone!—By One of the Bereaved Fair 0 with what grace he touched the keys; What magic in his fingers dwelt! What power was his, the fair to please t His smile the coldest heart could melt. j What idle dame, what prurient miss, Could turn to him a vacant ear Or grudge the guerdon of a kiss, To one whom queens were proud to hear ? 0, judge him not by common rules, | Whose aoal could like a seraph's soar; ( Not his the frame of sensual fools; ) He took a kiss-and asked no more! j The Engine Driver's Billy-Doux."— I'm doing the sixty mile, Hannah, I wish it were my last; I'm pouring out the "ile," Hannah, For I'm a driving of the "Fast." The danger signal's up, Hannah, And the fog signal, too My mind is in a mist, Miss Hannah, For I'm a missing" of you. My guard he is first-class, Hannah, And so's my engine, too; He says^I am an ass, Hannah, 'Cos I'm firing up for you. j Well, we'll, let that pass, Hannah, Though it mayn't be quite true I've got that'ere pass, Hannah, For sister Sal and you- I My stoker says all's right, If annah,, Which may be werry true; Bat he said the same one night, Hannah, When my bihsr burst in two. *■ Ocean pearls at random strung," Eaucsk? Are pretty things to view, I see'd them ocean pirates hung, Hannabs I Bat they'd quite a different hue. j've seen the Rory-bory-alius, Hannah, Likewise a lunatic bow; yy, I've seen them shooting stars, Hannah, And I once killed a cow. I've passed Hackney-wide,, Hannah, The scene of Mr. Brtggs's murder; Let's hope such wickedness, Hannah, Won't travel any furder. ( The night is all serene, my Hannah, And heavy falls the dew, t. The "plate-layers" have gone home, fliinJ1 And the Cooks in China," too. I'm coming up on Sanday, Hannah, Just for a diversion, Not by the Fast express," Hannah, But by a slow excursion. I'll be in Belgrave-square, Hannah, From twenty to seven, <, I can do some jugged hare, Hannah I (Or anything like tho.t 'ere, Haimab): i From thirty to eleven. 1 The" clear line" flag is waving, Hannah, The station is in view, I'll drop this line to you, Hannah, k Then I'll have a drop too. w Ij W. H. Cocr |