The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

POLITICAL GOSSIP. A STATEMENT was made in the Evening Sandard, to the effect that Lord St. Leonards had died giddenly. The Observer of Sunday says:—" We are authorised to contradict the statement of the death of Lord St. Leonards. His lordship is in his usual health" IT is reported that Judge Longfield willhrraediately retire from the presidency of the Irish Landd Estates Court. His intended successor, Mr. Davil Lynch, now judge in bankruptcy, is a Roman Cathcio lawyer of standing. THE United Service Gazette says the Jamaica Com. mittee has taken out a writ against Mr. 2yre, and mean to have him immediately before the court. THE Right Hon. Stephen Cave, M.P., lice-Presi. dent of the Board of Trade, chief of the International Commission, is now in Paris, negotiating a Fisheries Convention with France. Mr. Emerson Tanent has accompanied Mr. Cave as secretary. IT is stated that a peerage has been offffed to Mr. A. F. W. Montague, son and heir of the lat R. Foun- tayne Wilson, M.P., for the andivided couny of York, under a revival of the old title of "Monthftmer." THE Judgeship of the Derbyshire Coulty Courts, vacant by the death, on the 20th instant, C W. Elms. ley, Esq., Q.C., has been conferred b' the Lord Chancellor on George Russell, Esq., of ¡he Oxford Circuit. Mr. Russell was called to the bar )y the Hon. Society of Lincoln's- inn in 1853. 1 SIR DANIEL GOOCH and Mr. Watkin,M.P., have ( made an offer to take from the Admiralty at a coat of ] £100,000, the iron ballast with which iome of our 4 admirals and captains superintendent haie paved her j Majesty's dockyards, and which is no? familiarly ( known under the name of Mr. Seely'spigs." The j iron is said to be of a very fine cold blastquality. IN consequence of recent decisions of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council the Ciowa has for some time past ceased to issue patents fo the appoint- ment of bishops in colonies having independent legis. latures. Lord Carnarvon has consulted fhe law officers of the Crown upon another important ioint, and they have advised him that a mandate frofl the Crown is act necessary to enable colonial bishops to perform "the rite of consecration." THERE seems to be little doubt auongst members of the legal profession that Vice-Chancellor Sir John Staart wll retire at the close of Hilary Term, in whioh cafe Sir William Page Wood will become the Vice- Chanoellorof Etjolai^d. Speculation is, of oaurae, busy as to iiu new Yk- haRoallor, Sir John Rolt (the ,jent Attorney-Sex: -il) will, of course, have the first refusal of the vs^oaat Vi>;e-Obancellcrship, and in ths ayaat of his aaoiioixjg it Mr. SelivyxL will probably have the next c&o". If Sir John Boltbecomes Vice- Ohanceik* fo1,i! J. "Kimlake will become Attorney- Gener-i" ii»d a r»m Solicitor-General must be found. Xunu/tt.- pamts to Mr. Garth. Q.C., the newly-elected member or Guildford for the omee. THE Ir h papers publish a ctfwespoadenoe which has taken place between Mr. de* te Poer, the Liberal candidate for Waterfora, urA S; E. Kennedy, Bart. It neeinz that M". do la Peer asked Sir E. Kennedy for his support, at the coming eler'4on, and that it was refused on the stated grounds that Sir E. Kennedy understood the hon. gentleman Was a Fenian. As Sir E. Kennedy had since alleged that Mr. de la Poer did not deny tÀe accusation, Mr- do la Poer demanded a retractation of the arming that he did emphatically ieny charge. Sir E. Kennedy replied:- I would not have stated such a thing had I not been quite certain of »ot. I did not hear you deny the allegation) excepfcon two points—viz., that you were ust obliged to leave this country for New Zealand ofl account of your sympathy with the Fenians, and that yoi had not ever received letters from Mr. O'hosyfrom America. Not only did I not hear you deny tte charges, but from one or more things stated durjo,' the conversation, and to 1 which I need not now refe, I felt convinced there was ( some truth in the repør! I heard." Mr. de la Poer ] thus retorts$i After tksa statements, unless you now by letter Nvitliraw the charge you have J made, I shall be forcetf^ry reluctantly to transgress j the rules which shQ1:1\ govern a correspondence 1 'between gontleiaen. Q)dto say that I consider you to be an assassin of priyft^ charaoter and a base calum- i niator; and I have f to learn, by the notice which i you will take of tP communication, whether, in addition to the abovo, be stain of cowardice shall not be attached to yoirpaae. This letter will be handed to you by my friejdi Mr. Mansfield, who will await your reply for 24 lyiiO* Punch has been ..pt: severe upon Fenianism lately, and not very faroirible to Reform demonstrations, which has caused pone of the Liberal organs to call him a Torv, atd sW that our facetious friend has turned hia coat. flit Datiy News said the other day Punch, of late unhappily exchanged its original ckaiact^ if an impartial and genial hu- mourist for thaf 01 a POlitica-I organ, published the other day a caentitled Physic for a Fenian.' Erin was prestO^g a oase of Fenianism to be cured by John The figure of John Bull was the familiar )iotvra of English bluster and vul- garity, withcirf English greatness the com- placent self!. PrtlkiturO of a cockney mob, who hector andj ager about the British lion, and who would CJlJfJ under their beds if they thought a bullet was co»i°? within a mile of them. Fenianism was depicted wi4 the scraggy, misshapen form which bad food (one II1.Ial a day of potatoes mixed with sea- weed in some ceB) has made too common among the Irish peasajtrS and with the low brow typical of the intellectual dea.datlon produced by the diversion of the national izoperty from national education to the Jii4r.i^nanc0 If an alien church. John Bull, as the ^iy^'icsHn, lnad!e to tell Erin that the best cure for wfla that which, had been administered to ulitineerfj in India. A paragraph in the t of Punch pleasantly suggested blow- ing away frltn guns."

TffS ARTS, LITERATURE, &c. A :r,RjjLE bust of the late Lord Palmerston, by Mr. M. London, has just been placed in the Towa-hall, Tiverton W.i £ are gltd to learn that the Romilly Testimonial lave lost no time in carrying out the wishes of tJ1 Slmbstzibers. The bust of the Master of the RollS is flnithed, and was placed in the Search Boom of ¡he PabJiQ Record Offioe before Christmas The likeness is (onsidered very good. NEw FRSCOES IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS Tw lrescoe3 ara about to be placed in the corridor I&< th? ?^semf Tlie one represents tjje calling ont of the Trained Bands of London on one of the mot. remarkable occasions during the seventeenth century; the other, the ill-starred attempt of Charles 1. to anaat the five members. Beth are by the pencil of Mr. Cme. A CONTEMPORARY gives the following musical list as apropos to Christm^, with the subjoined remarks: —1. In the Merry Chrlmas Time. SoBg. Words by J. L. Lyons, music by ). F. Taylor.—2. Merry Merry Christmas. Written anl composed by Eenrv Wat- ling.-S. Lemuel Yalse. (lomposed by Meyer Lntz.- 4. The Blarney Quadrilles, ny P. Mulhollaid.-5. The Bonnay Valse. Composed ly Alfred Mellon.-6. The Rosabella Valse. By Adam "Wright.—7. The Flower of the Season Polka-Mazurka. By George Lamothe. That Old Father Christmas sh-mld press music into his service ia both natural and ight, for nothing so cheerfully and gracefully gives expression to gladness and mirth. Taking advantage of this, publishers are not slow to bring forward tiffltfy songs and equally timely dance music, likely to met the approval of those who frequent the gay and festive scene." The pieces before us are of this class, atd are, for the most part, put out of hand in the best manner as far as coloured frontispieces and elaborate title-pages go. N e. 1, "In the Merry Christmas lime," is sodecorated in superior style, and is a good, plain, straightforward song, with a chorus likely to the rafters ring —■ Then let us all be jolly, No care or melancholy, While we're hanging up the holly, In the merry Chrietmsa time." No. 2. Merry, Merry Christinas," the title-page of which also gleams with seasonal emblems, is similar in character, and equally fitted for convivial uze.- No. 3 is the elaborate and tunefu valse made familiar to the frequenters of Mellon's Cocerts. Its merit is great and undoubted. The lover of stirring old Irish melodies will-be delighted to dame to No. 4, which is brimful of the best among them,' Paddy's Wedding," The Groves of Blarney," "Lineriok is beautiful," and a dozen others. No. like No. 3, is familiar to promenade concct lovers. Though written for the xylophone (a ihotograph of Master Bonnay adorns the title-page), j makes a good piano- forte valse, while the name of is composer answers for its musical merit. No. 5, te Eosabella valse, is very easy, full of good melody, tnd may be played at sight by a very average perfomer. Its title-page is worth the money, a statement &ich may also be made respecting No. 6. As music, tis polka-mazurka is a clever composition, full of elanmd thoroughly dance- able

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. Recent Colliery Ixplosions. There are oecasions on whiclthe workmen find their lamps an obstruction to the peformance of their work on account of the defective ight they afford. We would ask whether it is notpossible to amend this defect, and, if not, whether tb lamp cannot be so con- trived that the workman mat use it in its safety form and in no other ? Iiieed, we should like to see a Royal Commission apointed to inquire into the whole working of the colliery system. It is evidently one which is almat provocative of cala. mity and with two ach disasters as those before us, not to speak c the explosion at Bol- ton, we think that the the has now come when the subject should be thoiughly investigated. We are every year drawing moe vigorously on orr coal. mines, and the explosions wish have occurred in three different districts during tie present week ought to trarn us that there is someting rotten in our colliery system which requires iimediate attention. We biave not the slightest deare to reflect disparagingly an the local or Governmat authorities. They have 10 doubt done their best. But a larger consideration )f the duties they have i discharge is now impera. iively called for.-Mornir Advertiser. All honour, in the firstinstanoe, to the men who oat their lives in the uavailing attempt to rescue their fellow-creatures; ba, after having accorded to them the due meed of praae, we are bound to inquire whether the additional Lorifloo ef life was in any respect justified-was thee any reasonable hope that any of the men who weretn the pit at the time of the explosion were living twnty hours afterwards? and was the risk encounteredby the volunteers inordinate compared with the remte chance of finding living persons still to be saved ? mmediately baforethe second expbsion a party of vointeers was raised to the pit's mouth, and they assigad as a reason for their return that, from certainpremoiitory signs, they apprehended another explosion. UrEortunately the warning they gave was not received in a proper spirit; they were twittad with cowardice, and a second batch of volun- teers descended. Withn a quarter of an hour after they entered the mine an explosion took place, and they paid the forfeit cf their valour with their lives. Again men were foun brave enough to volunteer to desoend. but they were jre vented, tnd a abort time after. wards a third explosion demonstrated the madness of any farther attempts. The pit vas on fire. Before the day closed in the flames wert issuing from the 3haft, aid all doubt respecting the fate of those who were in tie mine was entirely dispelled. This is a very sad story; but it is also one from vhich we fear no moral is b be drawn, no lesson to be learnt. So long aa it is possible that a lamp may be broken, or that the incautousnesa or recklessness d a single miner may bring i light in contact with th- most explosive gasep, so bng accidents like those which we now record must occasionally recur.—Moriing Post. Ifeeent Speech of Mr. Lowe. Mr. Lowe nay praise tha House for is six hundred years of life; for wearing its age well; for having 11 ripened, injured, amplified, expanded," during that time; and fotits "gieriouspast." Bit surely if he praises the Hatse because our fathers lid amplify and expand it,' why should we not try to give our 3ons something similar to say on behalf of us and of his institution) Hai the Reformers of tie past been iaunted by preeeling Mr. Lowe, there would have been no ripeniig, no maturing, no amplification, no expansion, and the critic of our time would find aothing to pra-:a;. for no one supposes that an unre. formed House of commons could have held ita ground to the present da> Still, that the House is "eminently business-like," we must emphatically deny. No free nation in the world-certainly nither France, Italy, nor America— would tolerate the manner in which the private bill business is conducted, the delays and expense of com- mittees, the repetit-on in the Lords of the evidence given a week before the Commons, the rejection at great expense of a railway bill one year to be passed the next year, in diretf defiance of the prinoiple laid flown in the first decision no other country would aubmit to arrangements which entail such enormous financial loss on the put",ic, and which are a souroe of gain only to a horde of professional harpies and dis- honest speculators.—Te^raph. It would be impossibly to condense into language more terse than Mr. Love's the defence of the House of Commons from its blaigrlt assailants which he took occasion to make yesterds in the hall of the Merchant Taylor's Company. Tie House of Commons, which used to be the admiration of most foreign oountries, and the pride and glory oi our own, the cynosure of our institutions, the gem o' our history, so that at the name of it every English ieftrt beat more proudly- thut institution which we have cherished for 600 years, and which during thost 600 years has ripened, matured, amplified, espandvd, until we thought we had made it an injrument of Govern- ment such as the world iad never seen be- fore placed in the hands of any nation-that noble institution is becoming a Roofing and a by-word among certain classes in this ciuntry." Precisely. Yet who are the men who scoff at thit House of Commons of which all good Englishmen are )roud ? Mr. Bright, and his ardent friend, Mr. Leicester, the glassblower, have no great following, after all We," says Mr. Lowe, who for our ages are, perhaps, as good-look- ing as other people, are publicly denounced as little- minded, hump-backed, one-eyed eccundrels." If the denunciative glassblower had ever stood in the lobby of the House of Commons, wt fancy he would have been a little surprised at the personal appearance of those who are privileged to stand in the centre of that sacred floor. Physical excellence is not entirely alienable from excellence of mind; and we have often been rather surprised at the "good looks" of the average M.P. Mr. Lowe suggested several very serious consideratioHS in his brief speech. Like every good Englishman," he said, I am prepared to bow to the majority of the intelligence and property of the country; and I have no doubt that whatever they do, if deliberately done, will be well done. But let nothing be done in a hurry. Let us think well before parting with the certain good we have, and accepting the very doubtful good which is promised in exchange for it." This is common sense in its fullest forin-the communis sensus or publio opinion of the English people.—The Globe. .L

SEAMEN'S LIFE-BELTS. Mr. Lewis, the georetH-y of the National Lifeboat Institution, John-street, Adelphi, has addressed the following communication to the daily papers on the importance of owners of merchant vessels and fishing craft finding their crews efficient life-belts "At the present stormy period, when many of our Bailors and fishermen are perishing from the want of some simple buoyant means to support them for a short time until the arrival from the shore of a life- boat, or some other means to rescue them, I trust you will allow me, through the nedium of your journal, to call attention to a cheap and handy cork life-belt which the National Lifeboat Institution has intro- duced, on the plan of Captain J. E. Ward, R.N., its inspector of lifeboats, with the view of meeting such emergencies. The value of these simple and inex- pensive instruments has been proved in too many oases to need any argumeut in their favour; and no doubt is entertained that their general adoption in our mer chant and fishing vessels would be the means of saving many valuable lives. I "I may state that sample chests of two sizes maybe seen at some of the principal oustom-houses of the United Kingdom. The smaller ohesta contain six belts; the largar ones twelve. The cost of these belts is 4s. 6d. each when bought in chests, or in any number above six; and that of a single belt, 5s. These belts have been extensively supplied to the coast- guard, and partially to the fleet. The price of the chests alone varies from 15a. to 21s. Both belts and chests are manufactured under the superintendence of this institution, by Mr. J. Birt, 4, Dock-street, London Docks, from whom every information regard- ing them can readily be obtained. I had the pleasure some months ago to send you one of these belts, in order that you might yourself judge of its quality and handiness. "I may add that the Pakefield lifeboat in connection with the National Lifeboat Institution was happily vl]3 the means of saving, in conjunction with the Lowestoft steam tug of the Great Eastern Railway Company, one poor fellow from the fishing lugger William and Mary, of Yarmouth, which waa wrecked off the Suffolk coast on Wednesday last, nine others unhappily having perished before the arrival of the lifeboat, but who might probably have been saved had they worn an effioient life-belt."

FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. On Friday morning, about five o'clock, a fire, at- tended with the loss of two lives, broke out in a private hoase, No. 21, Francis-terrace, St. Leonard's-road, Bromley. The premises were occupied by Robert Osment, a carpenter and joiner, his wife and family, and by some other persons, in all nine in number. The lower part of the house was in flames when the in. mates were aroused, and the screams and crieq of the poor creatures suddenly aroused from their sleep were quite appalling. A few things were saved by Osment, who was severely burnt about the face and hands. The Poplar engine of the Metropolitan Board of Works, followed by the fire-escape and the land steam-engine, were soon opposite the scene of the conflagration. At that time the house was in a blaze from top to bottom, two children were then missing, and piteous cries for help were heard within the house. Various energetic attempts were made to save the children, but without success. The children, both girls, one aged seven, the other nine years, perished. One was .the daughter, the-other the grand- daughter of Osment. They were in a back room when the fire was first discovered, and in the confu- sion were forgotten by the other inmates until it was too late to save them. Their charred remains were aftrwekrds dug out of the ruins. The house was gutted. The exertions of the firemen prevented the fire spreading to the adjoining buildings. A large force of police, under the control of Inspector Beare, of the K division, rendered valuable assistance. The loss of the poor children is much deplored, and it is reported that they would have been saved if the grown up persons had been more intent in saving life than preserving furniture. The fire broke out in the back kitchen, and had gained so much ascendency when it 'was discovered that it is a miracle all the inmates were not destroyed. 0

Attempt to Upset a Railway Train.-An attempt was made the other evening, which however fortunately proved unsuccessful, to upset the up-train from Belfast to Dublin. I At a place called Bradford's Cutting, about two miles from Dmdalk station, the driver of the down-train for Belfast observed a num- ber of large stones on the up rails, and as he proceeded met the up-train, and signalled to the driver, who stopped his engine. He was then informed of the danger. Bradford's Cutting—or embankment, rather —ia about 50 feet higher than the adjoining land. Having proceeded cautiously forward, he came up to the place, and there found the stones, one of which was half a hundredweight, and several others of lesser size, placed on the rails, so that if the train had pro- ceeded with its usual speed, an upBOt was inevitable, aDd the whole train would hava been hurled down the embankment. This is only one of several efforts made to upset the trains on the junotion line. The reward of = £ 50 for information leading to the convic- tion of the offenders seem to have had no effect in deterring them from their cowardly attempts to destroy life and property.—Dublin Evening Mail.

DISEASED MEAT. Dr. Letheby, at a meeting of the Metropolitan Association of Medical Ofiicers of Health, on Satur- day, made a strange and very alarming statement with referenced the importation of diseased meat. Says a daily contemporary: He informed his audience that the Commissioners of Sewers had drawn the attention of the Custom-house authorities to the fact that diseased meat and rotten sheep, dressed as fit for human food, were largely imported from Belgium and Holland, and especially from Potterdam but it would seem that the Custom-house officials have but little or no power to check the praotice. Such a statement of the law with reference to the importation of unwhole- some food appears at first sight almost incredible. It seems to be beyond the range even of Parliamentary blundering to authorise the seizure and confisca- tion of every cheap foreign reprint of an English novel, every smuggled bottle of eau de Cologne or yard of lace, and yet leave the importation of rotten meat perfectly unrestricted. The Act of 1863 respecting the seizure of unwholesome food empowers the medical officers of health and inspectors of nuisances to inspect and condemn it when "exposed for sale, or deposited in any place for the purpose of sale or preparation for sale." This expression, apparently, does not include transit through the Castom-house. The officers of that department are therefore powerless to prevent the admission of the deleterious commodity into Eng- land, and the canny traders of Holland and Belgium are free to send us the measled pork, poisonous mut- ton, and infested beef, which are rejected by their own countrymen. Verily, the ways of the English Legis- lature are wonderful

Suicide of a Wife.- On Saturday an inquest was held at Brentwood, on the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Bedwell, wife 9f a master saddler, of that place. There had been differences between the deceased and her husband, and some time ago she had left him, but recently returned. On Friday afternoon he found her hanging, quite dead, in an outhouse. The jury found a verdict of Temporary Insanity. Charity sermons in aid of the British Charitable Fund at Paris were preached on Sunday in the diffe- rent English churches in Paris, and at the churches of St. Roob, and St. Nicolas, Faubourg, St. Honore. The Bishop of London was advised by his medical attendants to abandon his intention of holding his Christmas ordination in person. The bishop is able to take walking exercise, but is still far from strong. The Death of Two Children at Whitnash. —The inquest on the bodies of Alfred and Thedore Lane, who were found dead, in bed, was again resumed the other day. The children's stomachs had been sent to Professor Taylor, who found no traces of poison therein, and thought that their appearance was quite consistent with the supposition that they died from suffocation. Mrs. Lane was examined, who positively denied having ever taken anything to oause abortion. The jury found that the infanta died from accidental suffocation. The JNorth British Railway Company.— I A statement of the directors of this company has just been issued to the shareholders, in accordance with the recommendations of the committee of investiga- tion. On the 31st of July the liabilities of the company are stated to have been Xl,875,625 19s. lid., the greater part of which is now exigible against the oompany. Te meet this the directors propose, under Parliamentary sanction, to issue special preference stock, at not exoeeding 5t per cent. per annum, and they express the unanimous opinion that nothing but this will retrieve the company's position. Death of a Patient in a Lunatic Asylum. —An inquest was held on Wednesday at the Adam and Eve, High-street, Peokham, on the body of John William Gonval Voyles, aged 65, a patient in Dr. Armstrong's Lunatic Asylum. It appeared that deceased was under treatment for epilepsy and paralysis, and was subject to fits, which occurred at uncertain intervals. Deceased had been visited at two o'clock in the morning, when he was fast asleep but when the attendant again went he was found lying on his face on the floer quite motionless. There was a mark on his forehead, but no cut or wound of any kind. The jury returned a verdict iu accordance with the medical testimony, which was that deoeased died in a fit of epilepsy.

John C. Heenau is said to be again in training —for Congress-in rrder to give him an opportunity to again meet his o!d antagonist, John Morrissey. A Drunkard's Death.—An inquest was held at Cambridge-beatb, on Monday evening, respecting the death of Mr. Benjamin Vale, aged 50 years. The evidence showed that deceased had practised as a sur- geon. He had an annuity of X40, and in 1864 the Dean of Lichfield left himX400, which was invested in house property, and yielded him another X40 per year. He gave lip hia practice, and having been an excessive drinker before, he now drank until all his money was gene. He mortgaged the honsea to a pawnbroker, and spent the money so obtained in drink. About six weeks ago he went to live in Three Colt-lane, Bethnal-green, and was found there in the most wretched condition. Whatever money be obtained he spent in drink. He had nothing to cover himself with except an old coat—he had neither trousers nor shirt. He was in the habit of wrapping an old rug round him like a wild Indian," and sleep- ing on the room flocr. On Thursday he became mad, and the next morning he was found dead on the floor, his body being almost naked. A verdict to the effect "that deceased was found dead from effaBion of serum on the brain, the result of excessive drinking of in- toxicating liquors," was returned.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS. Tho will of Sir John Pollard Willoughby, Bart., of Westbourne-terrace, Hyde-park, and Fulmer-hall, Slough, Bucks, was proved, in London, on the 30th ult., by Lady Willoughby, his relict; Anthony Morris Storer, Esq., his son-in-law; and Sebastian Stewart Dickenson, Esq., the executors and trustees. The personalty in England was sworn under £ 100,000. A duplicate of the will was proved in Bombay. The will is dated January 3. 1856; and there are two codicils, both executed in March, 1866. Lady Willoughby and Mr. Stonr are appointed guardians of minor children. Sir John was formerly in the civil service of the Hon. East India. Company, had been Chief Secretary to the Bombay Government, and a member of the local coun- cil, from which he retired in 1831. Sir John died September 15, 1866, at the age of 68. His only son and successor is a minor in his seventh year. Sir John h&3 left numerous legacies to relatives; and to his executors X300 each. He bequeaths to the Grand Madical College, Bombay, and to the Bombay District Benevolent Society, each 2.000 rupees: to the poor of Marsh Balden, Oxfordshire (his native place), 4100, to provide fuel and clothing for the most desti- tute to the Cancer Hospital, and St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, eaoh £ 100. He bequeaths to Lady Willoughby, beyond any other provision, a legacy of Y.1,000 and au annuity of X2,000; and, after making some specific bequests to some of his children, he leaves the residue to be divided amongst them. The will of General Sir John Michel), K.C.B., late of Portland-place, was proved in the London Court, on the 7th alt., by his reliot, Lady Miohell, and Thomas Bampfield Uttermore, Esq., the executors. The personalty was sworn under £ 8,000. The gallant General was attached to the Royal Artillery, and had seen much active service in Holland and the Penin- sula, and greatly distinguished himself in several engagements, and was rewarded with many badges of distinction. He attained the age of 86, and died August 23,1866, having executed his will in 1842, and a codioil in 1850. He leaves the principal part of his propert to his wife. His estates at Huish and Lang- fort, Somersetshire, after her ladyship's decease, he leaves to lis eon Edward, having made a provision for bis three laughters, and trusting to the disposal of the peraoial property by Lady Michell, aooording to I her Sudgrmnt and discretion. He also leaves to her ladyship &l his shares in the Commercial Bank at Kingston, Carada. The will of Mr. Serjeant Storks, late of Gewer- sfreet, Bedbrd-square, but who died, on the 4th of November, it 21-, Avenue des Champs Elysées, Paris, was administered to in the London Court on Novem- ber 22, by ba son, Robert Reeve Storks, Esq., the residuary legttee, there being no executor named in the will, whici is brief, and entirely in hia own hand- writing, in tha words to the following effeot I leave to my sox, Robert Reeve Storks, all my personal property absolutely which is not specifically bequeathed. To Kearns £ 50 a year. Sir Henry and Mary are provided for. Tom I omit, as he posesses a fortune. Dated, October 12, 1859." The personalty was swcrn under £ 120,000. — Illustrated London News. _Ao.

OUR- MISCELLANY. Clear the Bar."—In almost every inferior court a funotionary whose duty never seems properly defined in any blue-book, is found outside the dock," whose rude conduct generally brings down upon him the groans of a disapproving publio. This concurrent in the hurry and dispatoh of business ia always acting on the aggressive, pushing out of the way culprits who, in mitigation of their sentence, would endeavour to move the mercy of the judge. The moment Please your Honour" escapes their lips, the assistant or superior to the man in blue (it is not easy to define whioh) shouts out, Move on there-clear the Bar," unceremoniously packing Bobby and prisoner alike beyond the wicket! Call the next case places a new competitor for 30 days' hard labour on the gangway, to submit to similar summary ejection. Perhaps some benevolent magistrate will interfere to mitigate the severity of Clear the Bar." How to Get up an Appetite for Dinner.— Baron Brisse, the gastronomic oraole of La Liberie, said the other day in that journal that he had been asked how best a man could prepare himself to do justice to a good dinner, and that he gave this receipt: In the morning take a bath, and swallow at short intervals two or three glasses of the mineral waters of Niederbonn whilst pacing up and down your room; two hours afterwards take some gravy soup and a glass of good wine; then go out, walk gently, and call on your friends. Towards four o'clock take a biscuit and a glass of Madeira, and continue your promenade; at sevea go home to dress. You will be able to eat a whole leg of mutton, and even more!" Well, this advice has been followed, and the follower of it did eat a leg of mutton and more. But, 0 fatality! he died of indigestion three hours after. As may be imagined, In Baron Brisse is overwhelmed with remorse, and it is feared that his appetite will be for ever gone. Christmas Day in the East.—It is Christmas Day-and what a day! The warm blue sea hardly makes a murmur as it flows inwards; the sky has not a cloud; the air is scented with violets; all the windows stand wide open. The temperature is, in fact, that of a sunny, old-fashioned May-day, and we join the stream of happy holiday-makers bound to the country. Carriages and omnibuses are rattling in every direction, filled with French ladies in pretty toilettes; officers in their uniforms, and poor workmen with their families, all trim and in tune for a day's pleasure. Who could help putting on one's best gown, pinning a flower to one's girdle, and feeling as glad as any child ? Nothing can be more perfect than the drive from Algiers to the suburban heights of Mustapha Superieure, whither we are bound. The carriage winds amid verdant hills all the way. On the one hand, you see the dome of a Moorish palace glittering among the olive trees, or the white walls of a French villa peeping from orange and lemon gardens; on the other, you look straight across a line of cypress trees to the blue bay, sprinkled with a thousand sails, and the bluer mountains beyond. One longed to copy the picture with jewels, as some skilful rnosaicist has copied Da Vinci's "Last Sapper" in Vienna. The hills are clothed with foliage on all sides. There is in the ever-graceful olive, the brilliant banana, the glossy palma-christi, the arrowy cypress-black and green, like a duck's wing-the silver-green aloe, the wild cactus, the fan-like palmetto, the oaroubier, with ita grateful shade, and lastly, though that is rare, the palm. The palm is the king of trees, and only to look at it is to breathe a wholly now atmosphere. I don't know whether it is most beautiful when standing alone against a bright blue sky, or when planted in a stately alley, as in the Jardin d' Aooli. matation in Algiers. One can never forget the grace and glory of its feathery branches, spread like wings that love the light. Only tha leaf- less fig trees remind you that it is winter now here; but what is winter with a warm sun overhead and wild flowers growing everywhere? Mignonette, rosemary, large golden marigolds, beautiful tall asphodels, sprinkle the turf, which every one tells me will be a glory of blossoms in two or three months. An hour's drive brings us to our destination, a spacious white villa, looking on Algiers and the sea. We wander with our friends through airy apartments, furnished after the Moorish style, and gather violets and roses in gardens having glorious views on either side, and then we eat an early English dinner, served by a picturesque Arab boy, dressed in white cotton trousers and violet cloth vest.-A Winter with the Swallows. -¡

EXTRACTS FROM PUNCH" & F UNO" --+- BALLADS FOR BACHELORS. THE BACHELOR TO HIS BUTTONS. Adieu! thou ill- atarred race, adieu! Thy banishment I'll not bewail; But trust I never more may view, The broken rings which fret my nail. How oft on wrist or oollar band A disc delusive dangled, where Urged by some mercenary hand The iron stern had entered there! Oh, Woman, who did first invent That badge of our dependent state; Hast thou not laughed at our lament, When buttonless we stamped irate ? Sweet nymphs have struck a tender chord, And smiling, whispered, half in dread: How helpless is a noble lord, Whose happiness hangs by a thread." But, lo! a mighty thought is bora, From Jove full-armed Minerva springs; The hollow mould which roused our scorn, Give3 place to firm and brighter things. Then idle girls, who watchful see Man's jocund freedom, softly say, Strong, Sir, as golden links may be Is Love's links are stronger far than they," THE BAD HUSBAND. Mugby Junction Mugby Junction I" Thus I heard a wife bewail, Had your writer no compunction When he wrote your moving tale ? Home he came, my lord and master- Never word he spoke to me, As beneath some dread disaster Silent sat he o'er his tea, Reading you with greatest unction, Mugby Junction! Mugby Junction!" TWO NOTABILITIES. The world does not know its greatest men! And f what is more, it does not know some of its little men. Here are two gentlemen whose cartes de visite deserve to appear in the windows of the Stereoscopic Company with the other notabilities:— WANTED, a steady, orderly YOUNG WOMAN, acquainted with cooking and pastry, to assist generally in a small* quiet gentleman's family.—Apply, &c. What is the small, quiet gentleman's height, we wonder! Our second gentleman is more exten- sive WANTED, a large, second-hand wine-merchant's HAND CART. Must be in good condition.—Apply to, &c. A large, seoond-hand wine-merohant is an object on which we have never had the luck to set eyes. Does the size refer to his height, or has he a good body," like his own port-in fact, a portly shape ? GIVINGS. He gave her his name, and he gave her his hand. That earl with his quarterings twenty, He gave her his houses, he gave her his land, And he gave her pin-money in plenty. He gave her gay dresses, lace, feather, and gem, And furs, as though ermines were weasels, And flowers-when they oost him a guinea a stem- And paintings from thousands of easels. And she in return for his giving her them, In her gratitude gave him the measles. TO MY TAILOR. (For Music.) I need a coat, and of the very best, Fitting like webbing on an acrobat; I want a pair of trousers and a vest- Trust me for that I do not wiah for your account, though small You probably would style it. Verbum, sat- I do not want to pay your bill at all Trust me for that! BROWN TO JONES. (After MARTIAL.) No; Manhaod Suffrage, Jones, I do not fear, Given-Man, oalm, honest, thoughtful, and sincere But to the bullying Brute, who yells and groans, I will not give a Beasthood Suffrage, Jones. A MAN IN POSSESSION.—There was an odd scene at Shrewsbury the other day. A railway train waa seized by bailiffs, and only allowed to start, after some discussion, with a man in possession" on board. Poor fellow! he must have felt much in the same position as the old lady who won an elephant in a raffle. It was a wonder that no acoident occurred, for possession being nine points," a careless points- man might have turned the wrong lever and sent the train off the line. BRAVO, SOUTH WESTERN!—The South Western Railway has set a good example to the other com- panies. It devotes special compartments to smoking, and henceforth there will be two nuisances the less on that line. The man who didn't want to smoke, but only smoked because it was wrong, and annoyed other people, will be without a plea, and without a pleasure in consequenoe, and there will be no further occupation for the testy old gentleman who has no objection to smoking as smoking, but objects to it in a railway on principle." RATHER HARD.—Mr. Doulton, M.P. for Lambeth, is an unfortunate man He has forsworn pottery foe politics; but his pipkins, like the Furies, follow him earthenware—we beg pardon, we mean everywhere. He has forsaken pans, but his political career is beset with jars. NOMINALLY GEOGRAPHICAL.—A correspondent, who signs himself An AgoRlbed Atlas," implores us to inform him whether Hann-kow, in China, is any relation to John Bull in England. He had better apply to the Geographical Sooiety at its next meeting. A CAM-FINE JOKE.-The other day, in Dublin, it was rumoured that the Fenians were to rise and cut off the gas through the oity. Accordingly, troops patrolled round the gaa-works all night. The natives declare that this was done in order that if the gas was put out the streets might be lighted with Patrolium. THE SISTER'S PENANCE.-(As performed in a brotherly way, if not at the Adelphi.)-Britannia. having to put the strait-waistcoat on Hibernia; though, to judge by the arrests, the part of Mys-tery is not quite s(ö) well kept up in Dublin as that of Miss Terry in London. ART NOTE.—The pictures in distemper on the walls of the Chapter-House at Westminster are in need of restoration. We understand that Mr. James Shaw, whose long experience in the dog line duly qualifies him for the treatment of distemper, has offered his services. HINT TO WHIST-PLATERS.—If you can, secure a teetotaller for your partner: naturally, he will not bottle-up his trumps. A DISAPPOINTMENT.—Great surprise was expressed by many country visitors when they found that the Pope had not sent any of his Bails to the Cattle Show. MEDICAL.—It has been observed that in rorthem countries the cold invariably proceeds to extremities. THE AGE WHICH ALL GIRLS DESIRE TO ATTAIN.— Marri-age. THE WORST of gout.