The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

THE CORONATION OF THE KING OF HUNGARY. Within a four days' journey of our shores there is now in progress a scene such as might have been wit- nessed in the old barbaric world, when Kings were crowned with strange m gnificence; or, rather, there may be seen the preparations for the final act of a play in a vast theatre, where the characters, all dressed for their several parts, are moving about ainid the mechanics and the uncostumed crowd behind the painted canvases, and where who are to be spec- tators mingle still with those who will shortly appear Upon the noards. Pesth and Buda, indeed, resemble nothing so much as a stupendous open-air amphitheatre filled with the actors and the audience in masquerade, and waiting till they are summoned to^their respective Stations, and the spectacle begins. The noise of the tiammers ("If the stage carpenters, the tuning of the orchestra, the hum of the multitude are heard around in the interval before the action of the drama. In the midst of the excitement, while they are all looking for the ceremony which has been ap- proached with such suddenness as to have strained the resources of the management and the actors to the utmost, there is a real sorrow which mars the popular joy. The telegraph will have laid the dry outlines of what has occurred before the world long before these lines can reach England. A calamity for Which every human heart must feel has already fallen on a branch of the Imperial House. The shadow of a greater grief is, still impending over the Emperor him- self. While the pageantry of th" ceremonial which eom-nericed to-day was passing, the news came that the gentle, charming, and gracious girl who seemed Worthy of a happy and lofty destiny had been released from the sufferings inflicted by her cruel accident, and that the Archduchess Mathilde was no more. And before the end of the ceremony comes we may learn 1 that Maximilian of Mexico has perished by the hands Of those who will not care much for being stigmatised by the civilised and Christian world as assassins and murderers, so long as they can gratify their thirst for blood. Should the Emperor of Austria, or, as he must be called here, the King of Hungary, hear of his brother s death, the coronation will not be postponed, but the fetes and rejoicings will be abandoned. "FeUx Aust),ia It would seem as if for a time the House of Hapsburg had fallen upon evil days, but it may be but the darkness before the dawn. For nearly twenty years the Emperor of Austria Bought to rule over Hungary without the consent of the people, but on July 3, 1866, he found that the only way to wield his broken sword was to seek the aid of the Strong arms and fiery hearts of those whom he had besought to hold as his bondsmen. This will probably be the last time in which the Hungarian people, or at least that better part of the people which has kept the national life in the body corporate, will find it necessary to ap- pear in fancy costumes in self-assertion. But except for these armed, pelissed, and jewelled, and booted nobles, it is almost certain the Hungarians would long since have melted away into a sort of Austrian amalgam of all nations. Such a sight as Pesth pre- sents now will probably be never shown again. It is quite impossible to give an idea of the splendour of Some of the dresses, in which, however, the servants Tie with their masters in all except buckles, buttons, and cksps of precious stones. People who furnish miasquerader.s' costumes, ball characters, and proprie- tors to the stage all over the world may look out for rich accessora to their stores from time to time, and may gloat over the fantasies and caprices of these Wonderful Magyar nobles. The Emperor and Empress and the Archdukes are lodged in the Palace of Buda, a modern-looking edi- fice on the height immediately over the suspension bridge built by Tierney Clarke. The centre is a pro- jecting block, (our storeys high, with thirteen windows in front, having wings a storey lower, showing fitteen Windows each on the side facing the river—at the other side looking on the low hillocks, green with the vines from which the Buda wine will be crushed in autumn, Surrounded by the humble whitewashed cabins of the cultivators. It is painted of a light saffron colour, and is in harmony with the colour of the adjacent public buildings and barracks on the heights and on the quay fronting the Danube beneath, which is now lined with numerous steamers. The quay at the Pesth side is bordered .by lofty edifices, hotels and offices, and, from the Palace at Buda to the Town-hall of Pesth, the whole of the route is lined by substantial and well- planned tribunes rising tier above tier, and decorated with ga'-lands, wreaths, lofty standards, colours, and coats of arms. The speed and skill with which these erections have been constructed are remarkable, and the carpenters are just finishing their work like men expert in the art All the public squares and places of Pesth through which the pro- cession is to pass are bordered by them, and when the King comes from the bridge to the mound where he performs the ceremony of sword-waving he will be sur- rounded on all sides by multitudes in every window of the houses, in the steamers on the Danube, and on the tribunes, and will continue his course to the Town- hall between continuous lines of spectators. The price of good seats argues great self-sacrifice and heavy purses combl,ie(i with patriotism and love of spectacle. For a. window looking on the mound the sum of oOl. English is the usual rate, and the persons who will pay such prices will in the vast majority of instances be Hungarians. They have assort of national pride to gratify. Under all their loyalty to the King of Hungary there is the feeling that they have won a victory over the Emperor of Austria. He is vanquished, and in his triumph as their King he acknowledges his submission as the Kaiser of the adjacent Empire with which they are allied. The proceedings to-day were the beginning of the great ceremonies to be observed at the Coronation. At ten o'clock the House of Magnates (or Peers) and the House of Deputies (or Commons) assembled to appoint deputations to wait on the King with their addresses, and to transact business connected with their presenta- tion to His Majesty. For an hour or so before, carriages, driven by wonderfully-attired coachmen, and guarded by stillniore wonderfully attired Chasseurs, went to and fro in the streets to take up their owners, and gor- geous leibhusareri came out like tropical butterflies in the warm sun. congregating around doors and standing in the passages almost aghast at their own splendour. No colourist could give the smallest idea of the richness of some of these uniforms; others were rather extravagant and grotesque than effective. There was a small gathering at the foot of an hotel staircase this morning of positively startling people. One had a tall calpak of gray astrakan fur, with a yellow satin bag, ending in a great tassel of gold lace. On the front of the calpak was a scarlet medallion, bearing in embroidery the badges of the House he served—apples and leaves—his brown face and black moustache contrasted with a white lace frill with long ends the gold-laced collar of his scarlet hussar jacket was crusted with gold from his, shoulders hung a pelisse of green and silver trimmed with gray fox-skin, and worked all over with apples and leaves in Silver his tight pantaloons of flaming red were slashed with silver, and his boots were of yellow Morocco leather, with a band of gold lace and tassels at the top and gilt heels and enormous spurs, the get-up being com- pleted by a heavy curved scimitar, ablaze with all kinds of metallic finery. He and his fellow regarded c-ach other in their new clothes with much curious •wonder, each mirutur novas frondes et rum sua pom a. These were but the "life hussars," or personal at- tendants of a Magyar noble, and were by no means singular for finery among those with whom they stood. r There were men who shone as if they were in armour, in their particoloured clothing, and it was not possible their masters could devise greater glory of attire^ for themselves—at least one might be pardoned for think- ing so. The Chamber of Deputies meetain a building which was constructed temporarily for their use, but which is likely to endure many a year in its simple solidity. Well might gentlemen of England who sit ill at ease in the dark, uncomfortable room which is the nucleus of the vast pile at Westminster, envy the Hungarian Commoner in his spacious, lofty, well-ventilated hall, where every member has plenty of room, where every word spoken by any member in his place can fce heard all over the apartment, where there is ample accommodation for strangers in the body of the hall, and where airy galleries give space for a number of spectators, who are as silent and orderly as if they were oil trial for their lives, and by no means imitate the unseen, but not unheard, vivacity of the inmates of cur Ladies' Gallery. There was a small gathering outbide to see the deputies arrive, but there was no pressure, no great anxiety, nor, indeed, any enthu- siasm. The men in their wide awakes, or flat round felt hats, long frock coats, pantaloons, and Hessian .boots were only distinguished by these peculiarities of attire and by a certain Oriental cast of face from the ordinary crowd of any European city, and the women were dressed in the universal style of porkpie botineterie and crinolined garments which has spread over Europe. Somehow or other the wild looking creatures to be seen in the streets with unkempt locks, short jackets, and very loose wide trousers or tight linen pantaloons, as they happened to be Hungarians or Sclaves, did not venture to gaze on so much finery and did not con- tribute to the spectators. On entering the House the President was found to be reading the protocol of the proceedings of the day, and the seats on both sides were filled by the members in all their splendour. The general effect was not so brilliant as mkht have been expected, because the members sat with uncovered heads but there was a sheen of colour 0"er the sea ts as if a rainbow were playing about On the left of the President Szentivanyi, a Venetian nobleman by Titian looking sort of man, sat a few members in black or sad coloured dresses, who represented the ex- treme Radicals. They have no sympathv for the Coronation, and look upon it as a farce of no merit or entertaining power but though they were gloomy and solemn as Covenanters, they did not eschew long boots, tight pantaloons, and sabres. Deak was not visible, but Miko, Count Bela Szechenyi, (who has done all in his power to promote the comfort of the English visitors), Baron Ambrosy, who served on Benedek's Staff, and the owners of many famous Hungarian names, could be made out in the glitter of the assembly, and the officers of the House, in rich I dresses;with tricolour scarves and cashes, moved in and out from time to time with communications be- tween both Houses. The proceedings were in Hun- garian, and among the many phenomena connected with the present position of the kingdom none is more remarkable than the fact that the Magyar language has been raised almost from the dead within the memory of man. It owes its present use to the father of the Count Bela Szechenyi mentioned above, for up to his time it was scarcely known, or if known, was Lever used in society by the Magyar nobles and was restricted to the peasantry. When he began to speak it he was scarcely understood by his class; he was almost laughed at for his persistence in adopting it in every day life. Now it is, indeed, as much national as is our own speech, although Hungarians have not lost their polyglot powersi and all Magyar gentlemen Eeak German and French and very many of them iglish. As we were going over to the Upp^r House, which sits in a building in which are placed the collections of the Pesth Museum a Magnate announced that the peers had risen, and they were seen issuing out of the lofty portals and descending the steps in a torrent of waving feathers and raiment of many colours, like the contents of some pyrotechnic projectile which has burst aloft and is letting its golden rain and silver stars and many-hued sparklings fall through the night air The Magnates could not, however, outdo the members of the Lower House in their richness and magnificence, although they could boast of finer equipages and a more numerous and embroidered valetaille. Conspicuous among them were prelates who would make a ritualist fall down and worship, so grand were they in purple robes and trappings, and cocked—yes—cocked hats with gold tassels. They all stood together waiting till their carriages came up, and some, imitating the example of various Deputies, were content with open omnibuses, and thus avoided the cab tariff, which is very high, although the authorities who deal with London cabs might come out here to this Hungarian capital and see how much better are the vehicles and horses there than in the greatest capital of the world. The road to the Palace was long and hot over the bridge and past the tribunes, now nearly empty, to the courtyard, where a guard of honour was stationed, and a fine military band com- forted the spectators, who were not very numerous, or who were, at all events, not very dense at any one point of the route till the Palace was reached. The Deputies and Magnates as they arrived were ushered into the apartments assigned to them, whence they were led to the room in which the King and Qiie,-n were stationed, with the great officers of State, the Hungarian noble Guard being on duty in their beau- tiful but fantastic uniform. Here the Magnates first and then the Deputies were presented to the King. The members of both Houses now collected in the Grand H all of Audience, and in solemn procession, preceded by the youngest bishop, bearing the cross, Magnates bearing the globe and sword of State, followed by the Ministers and high officers of the Crown, the King again ap- peared, and, addressing the assembled Lords and Commons, said:— We graciously a'-eept the Inaugural Diploma presented to us by the Magnates and representatives, and return it fur- nished with our signature. The Primate then spoke in suitable terms, to which his Majesty replied in a brief speech. A numerous deputation then waited upon the Em- press, who received them with the ladies of her Court, and made a profound impression by her beauty and grace, to solicit her consent to be crowned Queen of Hungary. The Empress, laying aside the paper that had been placed in her hands for her guidance, expressed herself of her own accord as follows ;— I joyfully accede to the desire of the nation notified to me through you. It is in accordance with my own most fervent wishes, and I bless Providence that has let me 1 ve to see this sublime moment. Assure the Diet of my sincere gratitude and accept my cordial greeting. A deputation then again waited on the Emperor to request his assent to the choice of Count Andrassy, the President of the Ministry, as representative of the Palatine at the coronation. The Emperor replied that he gave his consent willingly, as "it would be im- possible to find a person more deserving of the honour than -Count Julius Andrassy." And the Houses and the deputations withdrew, well pleased with their re- ception, and with the result of the day. In the evening both Houses again met. The Lower House elected a deputation to present the coronation gift, already voted, of 50.000 ducats to each of their Majesties, and it was agreed that the House should meet at half-past five on Saturday morning, and pro- ceed in corpore to Buda, where at seven o'clock they must be present in the church in which the coronation takes place. As the coronation is not only a solemnity, but also a Constitutional and Parliamentary proceed- ing, it is essentially necessary that there should be a sufficient number of representatives present at the ceremony to "form a house." On the approaching: oc- casion there is no doubt that the attendance will be very full. The inaugural diploma, wich the Royal signature, was presented in both Houses. At four o'clock next morning the trans of the fortress of Buda woke all who were asleep, and if noise indoors and out of doors all night con Id keep people awake there were very few of them startled by the noisy summons. The sun rose in a cloudless sky, and a light breeze from the west just threw out the folds of the Imperial standard on the palace and on the forts, where it was hoisted half-mast high, and gave life to the countless flags, pennons, and streamers along the quays and the route of the i,i-ocession. There was a considerable gathering of what may be called directed towards the Buda side by this enticing part of the day's programme, but the people who thronged the tribunes and the windows were of the same class, for the most, part, as those on the Pesth side of the river. It gave a forecast of what was to come to see the magnates here and there at that- early hour mounting their horses in the courtyard below, and riding off to the bridge, attended by their foot- men And as before it was diificult to decide which, master or man, was the liner, it now became a question whether the horse in its trappings was not finer than either. Whole fields of cloth of gold must have been cut up for shabracks. Then such saddle-cloths, such blister- caps, such housings, glittering with jewels, silver, and gmd. with reins of precious metal, in chains and bands—chevrons of solid silver, mounted-with ostrich and golden pheasant and argus plumes. How one of those horses, if it has the least intelligence and sell-respect, will ever submit to ordinary pigskin again cannot be conceived The Magyars will beat their silver plates and ornaments into spoons and remount their jewels and go out in sad-coloured garments, such as might have been obtained in London before the sti ike but, it is hard to expect such self-denial on the part of their steeds. As the minutes flew on the crowd gathered, carriages rolled towards the bridge, and toiled up the slope towards the parish church of Buda. At seven o'clock precisely the ceremonies of the coronation ooimaiced, and a procession of troops was formed, in the ..If. VwL Yere Hjs Majesty the Emperor and Apos- /7, "f' preceded by a bishop on his right with the Apos- !U1<1 on his left preceded by the Royal Hun- » Horse, uncovered, carrying the drawn f,lll\wed >>y the Captains of "Body Guard la'u: her Majesty the Empress and Queen in a state carnage drawn by eight horses, three running footmen, uncovered on each side, and followed by her Mar- shal of the Court, the Chamberlain on duty, and four pages the mistress of the robes in a state carriage, drawn by six horses a .running footman, uncovered, on each side four state carnages, di awn by six horses, in euch three ladies of the bedchamber; two running footmen uncovered to each carriage. I tie carriages, some of them dating from the time of Maria 1 herese, were most splendid. On reaching the church his Majesty, who was in his uniform of Field-Marshal, was assisted from his horse by the "I/ird High Chamberlain, while the Mistress of the Robes assisted her Majesty to descend from the carriage of :<tate, which was of singular magmfleeoce and richness. Within the church, where the Magnates, Deputies. Ministers. and (tiplomatic body were assembled, their Majesties were received by the Primate and the officiating prelates and clergy, and kneeling, were presented by the Primate with the crucifix I and holy water, then rising with the assistance of the Lord Chamberlain and the Mistress of the Rohes they fol- lowed the Primate and the officiating e'ergy to the inner chapel, the trumpets and kettledrum's-sounding. Here the crown jewels were placed in the hands of the barons of the realm, and in the procession which then moved towards the high altar the Crown of St Stephen was borne by the Count Andrassy, as representative of the Palatine. The Ban of Croatia, Baron Sokcevic, carried the glol,e; the Judex Curiae, M. Majlath, the sceptre; the Tavernicns, Baron Sennyey, the pyx; the Royal Hungarian Cupbearer 'the sword of State, and the Royal Hungarian Lord High Cham- berlain the Cross. The Crown jewels were placed on the high altar, and the Archbishop of Kalocsa com- menced the service with the formula of the Church according to the Pontificale Romanum. Addressing the Primate, he spoke the words; Postulitt Sancta Mater Ecclesia Catholica ut priesentem serenissimum FranciscunI .Tosephum ad dignitatem Hungariae Regis sublevetis." Then the Primate responded Scitis ilium dignum et utilem esse ad hanc dignitatem?" And the Archbishop of Kalocsa answered-" Et novimus et credimus." Then His Majesty was led to the altar, and kneeling took the coronation oath, which has been given in the papers. Then His Majesty descended to the lowest step before the altar, and lay prostrate at full length on his face, while the Primate read the Litany, the Bishops giving the responses, all kneeling, During these prayers the Primate rose from his knees, and with his episcopal staff in his left hand twice made the sian of the cross over the prostrate form of His Majesty; the bishops, kneeling, did the Sl me. At the conclusion of the Litany His Majesty was conducted behind the altar, where he laid uside his pelisse, kalpack, and sabre, and prepared for the unction. Returning with his attendants, His Majesty knelt before the alta", and there was anointed with the holy oil by the Prima' e. Tllis part of the ceremony excited much interest. As the primate poured the oil on His Majesty's right arm and between the shouldera he prayed reverently, and when the ceremony was over the King rising went behind the altar where the superfluous, unction was dried, and reappeared after a time and walked to the foot of the throne, where he knelt down and seemed to pray. while he was thus kneeling the Lord High Cham- berlain and Marshal of the Court and officiating prelates ap- proached with the Royal mantle of Stephen and placed it solemnly over his shoulders. This is clearly proved to have been a casula, the work of Gisella, Queen of St. Stephen, made in A.D 1031, and is regarded with the utmost veneration by all Hungarians. It was the gift to the Church originally and has undergone some mutilation. The inscription states; "Casula hsec data et operata est Eccles-se Santse Marise sita; in civitate alba (Stuhlvveissenourg) aiino ab incarnations Christi mxxxi., indiceione xiv. a Stepheno Rege et Gisla Re- gina." When it is out of repair it must be mended by no other hands than those of the Queen herself. Then the High Mass began to the blare of trumpets and the roll of kettle- drums. The Prince Primate read the office to the conclusion of "graduale," when, attended by his prelates, he went, to the altar, where the regalia were deposited. The King, sur- rounded by his officers of high state and dignity, having arisen, was led to the altar, where he knelt lowly and b< wed his head to the Primate, who placed the naked sword of St. Stephen on his hand with the words of the formula:- "Accipe gladium de altari sumptum per nostras manus licet indignas vice tamen SS. Apostolorum consecratas. Tibi regaliter concessum, nostneque benedictionis officio in de- fensionem S. Ecclesioo Dei divinitus ordillatum." The Primate having received back the sword from the Em- peror, who now rose, put it into the sheath and fastened the belt round his loins with the words:— Accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum, potentissime, et attende, quod sancti non in gladio, sed per fidem vicerunt regna." And then the King, standing erect, and turning his face to the people, drew the ancient blade, and with vigorous hand made the steel flash In the light as he cut first in front, then to the right and then to the left, according to tradition, and returned the sword to its sheath, while the artillery thun- dered out a salvo from outside. The King next advancing knelt on the highest step of the altar, and there the Arch- bishop of Gran, as Prince Primate, and Count Andrassy, repre- senting the Palatine, put the Crown of St. Stephen on his head. The world has heard enough of this famous piece. It con- sists of two parts-one sent by Pope Sylvester II, to St. Stephen in 1000 A.D., and used in his coronation, the oiher dating seventy or eighty years later, sent by Michel Dukas, Emperor of the East, to King Gyza, from Byzantium. It is called "holy," "sacred," "apostol ¡cal," and the King of Hun- gary derives his title from the last adjective. It is almost like a trooper's morion in shape, and is enriched with enamels and precious stones. When the regalia were taken b) the insurgents they were buried in 1849, near Orsova, in the Danube, close to the Turkish frontier; but their hiding place was found out, to the great joy of Hungary, after four or five years' seclni-ion in the mud. The Primate, with his hands on tin crown, gave the blessing, and presented His Majesty first with the sceptre in his right and the globe in his left, with the formula, as follows "Accipe virgnm viitutis ac veritatis, qua intelligas, te obnoxium mulcere pios, terrere reprobos." Having done this the Primate removed the sword of St. Stephen from the King's side, and returned it to the Royal Hungarian Cup-bearer, and when that was done the second salvo was fired, and a phase of the ceremony ended. The King was now really to lie enthroned. With the Primate OIl one hand and an Archbishop on the other, the King, pre- ceded by 11 magnates bearing the insignia of Bulgaria, Kumenia, Serbia, L<>domiria. Galicia, Bor ia, Dalmatia, Transylvania, Sclavonia, Croatia, and Hungary—the Heralds, Master "f the Horse, and other high officers, was conducted to the Throne, and took his place with much solemnity. The Primate, standing911 his right., pronounced the words "Sta et retina a ntodo locum quam hue usque paterna successione tenuisti bsereditani jure tibi a Deo delegatum per auctoritatem omnipotentis Dei" Count Andrasay made a sign, and at once the whole assem- bly burst into an "Eljen which was repeated three times wif h thrilling effect. The cannon thundered from the Bloeksberg—the bells of Blida and IVsth burst out into chimes. The King was crowned. As crowned King he pre- sented bis consort to the Primate, and demanded that she should be crowned; and another service commenced, the crown and insignia beng laid on the altar. The service for the Queen was similar to that of the King. A crown was put on her head, but the Royal crown was only held on her right shoulder for a time, after which t was replaced on the head of the King. At one time the King and Queen lay prostrate on their faces as his Majesty had done, and after the ceremonies here were com- plete the Kii g and Queen went in precession through the church gates to the gardo church, where all the royal in- signia except the crown were laid aside, while the King made a number of knights-equite8 awr.ti--diibiiiig them with the sword of St. Stephen. The remainder of the proceedings were extremely interesting and we regret our limited space precludes us from giving an account of them.

STARVING A CHILD TO DEATH. At the Police-court of St. Hilier's, Jersey, a few davs ago, Sophia Quenault, wife of Edward Quenault, a brickumker, and a ticket-of-leaye man. was charged with having caused the death of her infant child by starvation. On the 13th of May she was charged at the same court with drunkenness and neglect of the child. On that occasion the child was exhibited in the court, and the sight caused a sensation of horror in all who wit- nessed it. Although five months old, it measured only 17in. in length, and weighed 21b. lOoz. Its legs were no thicker than a good sized man's finger, and the poor child looked more like an animated doll than a human being. The former on that occasion was sent to gaol for a week, and the child was taken to the gen- eral hospital (the workhouse.) For. two or three days the child could not retain its food, but it gradually recovered strength, and by the end of the week was able to eat well. At the expiration of her -iml)rison- ment the prisoner claimed her child, and it was given to her. Two days afterwards the police were informed that the child was dead, and on going to the house where the prisoner lived, found her dead drunk, and the child lying on a table, the room containing nothing else but a handful of straw. On a post mortem exami- nation being made, the stomach of the child was found to be quite empty, the medical officer declaring that death had resulted from starvation. The hus- band of the prisoner told the police that she had killed her first child in the same way, and he hoped she would be hanged. The prisoner, who had nothing to say to the charge, was comniitted for trial on the charge of murder.

AN EXCITING SCENE AT A FIRE. At an early hour on Saturday a scene of an exciting character was enacted in one of the streets of Birming- ham. SUJOke was slowly filling a house in Newton-row, the re- sidence of Mr. Ede, draper. A fire had broken out in his shop, and the smoke and fumes were gradually filling his house, which adjoined the shop. Mrs. Ede was awake; she roused her husband, who looked about anxiously for a way of escape, He got out through a window, and in going along the roof he slipped through a skylight, and his foot was very bauly wounded! Recovering his self-possession he assisted bauly woullded. Recovering his self-possession he assisted his wife out of the window with her baby, and crossing the j roof of his own and of an adjoining shop, he and his charges gained access to a neighbouring house, the inmatef which were and admitted the party who so suddenly claimed hospitality. But there still remained three persons sleeping in Mr. Ede's house, and the fire was every moment gaining ground. The persons thus imperilled were Mr. William Ede, his wife, and a female servant. By vigorous cries of Fire!" the alarm was happily communicated to them. Mr. William Ede being roused, jumped out through a window in the rear of the house, and ran for a ladder with which to rescue the other inmates. He got the ladder, placed it to the window, and was making his way up it when it broke. A wall ran close to the window. Mrs. William Ede could not jump on to it. nor could the servant. To at-, tempt it would have been to incur the imminent risk of being killed by a fall. But.Mr. Wm. Ede bridge the chasm with his body, and he did it. He rested his feet on the win- dow sill and clung with his hands to the wall, and bis wife passed over him and the servant followed. The fire engines arrived, and seeing no pruspect of being able to save the shop or anything in it, the firemen directed their attention to the preservation of the premises on either side. While they were at work, Mr. William Ede remembered that a 2nl. note lay in the pocket of his overcoat inside the burn- ing building, and offered a sovereign for the recovery of the coat. A young man ventured to enter the house, and grop- ing about in corners where he could not see, was thrilled by the touch of a coat. It was the senseless body of Mr. James Ede, who had gone to alarm his brother a.nd his brother s wife and servant and in the attempt was almost suffocated. In the linrry and confusion nobody knew that he was missing and in danger. As soon as he regained consciousness he was sent in a cab to the General Hospital. The fire unroofed the shop and consumed all the goods. The damage is roughly estimated at from 8001. to 1,0001. Tt is partially covered by insurance with the Royal Fire Insurance Company.

MOURNFUL INCIDENT AT A ROYAL WEDDING. The Count di Castiglione, private secretary and chef du cabinet of King Victor Emmanuel, died sud- denly a few nights ago, as he was escorting the C newly-married Duke and Duchess of Aosta (Prince and Princess Amadeus of Italy) to Stupilligi, a country seat of the King's, near Turin.-The Flo. rence correspondent of The Times writes "We hear but little of the Turin wedding. It has cer- tainly not excited much interest. There have been the usual oflicial manifestations. The two chief wit- nesses to the marriage, General de Sonnaz and Marquis Alfieri, have received diamond snuff boxes from the King as mementoes of the happy event. The joy and happiness of the Court have been dashed by a sad event. It was after ten o'clock at night when the bride and bridegroom set out for Stupinigi, a few miles from Turin, where there is a country palace of the King's, at which they were to commence the honey- moon. Besides the carriages of the Court, a number of gentlemen mounted their horses to escort them, and among these was Count Verasis di Castiglione. On ar- riving at a short distance from Stupinigi, the Count gal- loped past the carriages, and went ahead so as to arrive first and be present at the reception of the royal pair. The pace was fast, the day had been hot and exciting, the dinner perhaps copious. Persons standing by the roadside saw the Count suddenly drop his reins and fall from his saddle. When picked up he was a corpse. It is said that he lately, at Venice, had warnings of apoplexy, and that a few days ago he complained to his friends of indisposition. He looked quite a young man, and can hardly have been more than forty. Of late years he had grown stout, he was shortnecked, and apparently "of a sanguine habit of body. He was the husband of the beautiful countess Castiglione, for- merly so well known in Paris, from whom he had been for several years separated. One or two ladies of his family are attached to tho household of the newly-wed- ded Duchess of Aosta. The funeral crape sadly muffles the marriage bells."

THE INTENTIONS OF THE FENIANS TOWARDS CANADA. The brief telegram which came to us a little while since by the Atlantic cable, with news of another pending inva- sion of Canada by the Fenians was. if we may trust the Philadelphia correspondent of The Times, not altogether un- warranted. That writer, in his letter of the 28th ult, says:— This raid is by far the strongest of the two wings of the Brotherhood in the United St ites, and it cannot be denied that the necessary courage to attempt it has been imparted to a great degree by the coquetry which has so long been going on between our politicians of both parties and the Fenians, with the object of con- trolling the "Irish vote.' Of course, much of the preparation for the contemplated raid is wrapped up at present in mystery, and the constant exaggeration and rumour that always distort the movements of these remarkable people are in as complete force now as ever. To finally decide upon the plan of campaign the Fenians are to hold what they call a "National Council" at Troy, New York, during June, and they are trying to get ill the factions to attend it. At this council they publicly announce that they will "receive and consider estimates for supplies of wir material additional to those already on hand." The comman- der of the invading forces is said to have been already chosen, and is a certain Samuel Spear, who was en- gaged in the raids of last year, and who in Fenian parlance is styled Major General Spear, military director." He is now at St. Alban's, near the northern border of Vermont, laying plaus." For the con- templated raid the Fenians have been preparing with considerable industry for some months, and they are believed to have a force of ten thousand men fudy equipped and drilled, many of them having served during the late American civil war, who are prepared to invade Canada. They hold meetings constantly in different parts of the country and raise recruits, one company having been formed on the 23rd of May as far west as Omaha, in Nebraska; and at all their meetings they claim to have for their movement the sympathy of both Ame- rican parties, and boast that the Government will not interfere with them. I11 New York there is a report that a foundry employing thirty-five men has for weeks past been engaged in making field artillery for the Fenians, and another establishment is said to be manufacturing small arms. Of course, as is the case with all Fenian movements, there is a great amount of rumour and falsehood reported, but I have endeavoured to write only what can be asc, rtained with certainty, and of the main fact that a raid is being prepared there can be no doubt. The movement will probably be made from,,St. Alban's where the Fenians claim to have a depot of stores; and the Canadians, forewarned of their danger, are making extensive preparations all along the border to meet it. The Fenians now own seven newspapers in the United States, two of which are public el in New York, and one each in Boston, Buffalo, ( hi "tgo, Charleston, and San Francisco. These all at vo ;ate a Canadian raid, and the Brother- hood are about establishing another newspaper in Philadelphia. _————

FOOD AND DRESS IN PARIS. The Paris Chamber of Commerce has published some curious statistics relative to the consumption of various articles of food, dress, &c.. in the French capital. The amount of beef and mutton consumed annually by the Parisians is valued at 153 millions of francs, and of bread at 95 millions. The Parisians spend most money, however, on wine, of which they buy 192 millions'worth a year. Notwithstanding this, there is a large consumption of beer, upwards of 10 millions francs' worth being drunk yearly. The con- sumption of chocolate is increasing its annual value now amounts to 16 millions. Another favourite article of food is pastry. There are in Paris 622 pastrycooks, whose gross receipts amount yearly to upwards of 21 millions. About half this sum is spent yearly in confectionery (bonbons, &c.). Besides this, 104 millions are spent every year by the Parisians in restaurants, the same amount on tailors, 8 millions for corsetv, 15 millions for gloves, 20 millions for hats and bonnets, 18 millions for false diamonds, 1.500,000f. for false teeth, S4,000f. for glass eyes, 7.,OOOf. for masquerade dresses, 22 millions for per- fumery and cosmetics, 5 for fans, 28 for artificial flowers, and 15 for buttons.

A MELANCHOLY REJOICING. A correspondent at Naples, in a letter dated the 3rd, says:—"Yesterday was the fi-sta (tello Statu to,' on which day the inhabitants of all parts of Italy cele- brate their union into a nation. In the early m, ,ruing it was to be supposed that everybody that could would hang a flag out of their window, and afterwards illu- minate at night. Such was the case the first years after the unification of Italy. 1 am sorry to say that now popular opinion here sees no reason to be joyful at that event. On the contrary, we ail know tlta-, the- cost of food has doubled; that house-rent has trebled; that taxation i now crushing where formerly it was unknown; and very few are enlightened enough to think that schools and such like things are a fair equi- valent for these drawbacks. Hence the recollection of the popular vote that made Italy one is anything but pleasant to the mass of the population here. l'ha result was that nobody hung out flags by day or illuminated by night who was not in some way or other forced to do so by his position, or who wished to be noticed. Wherever a window was illuminated, it was sure to belong to a club, or a dentist, or a restaurant. What private people did not do, the municipality, National Guard, and other public bodies did abundantly. "They hung out bunting in profusion and what is better, in all quarters of the city, relief was distributed, as far as means permitted, to the deserving poor. There was a parade of the National Guard and garrison, during which a distribution of medals took place and in the evening there were beautiful fireworks from the roof of the Basilica of St. Francesco di Paolo. If, however, the populace did not illuminate, they were determined to enjoy the fete prepared for them by the municipality. The streets, the cafes, the promenades were everywhere crowded by a good-humoured crowd, who, by their lively dresses and animated manners, helped to render the fete brilliant. All passed off with the greatest good order, and, notwithstanding the crowds, no acci- dent happened anywhere."

CAN IT BE POSSIBLE? The Hamhuty Neits relates a terrible tragedy, but which is scarcely to be credited from its atrocity. In the course of last summer a whole family named Timm-Tode, residing in the neighbourhood of that city, was murdered, and the only member # who sur- vived—one of the sons, was arrested on suspicion. No conclusive evidence was found against him, but he was kept in confinement, and has at length confessed. He states that he planned the whole affair solely to become the heir to the whole property, and describes his proceedings thus On the day he had fixed upon, all the family but the ser- vant were out, but towards evening one of his brothers re- turned, fatigued with his day's work, and lying down in the stable went to sleep. The assailant killed him with a blow of an axe, and concealed his body under some straw. Shortly after, all the family returned and went to bed. Waiting till they were all asleep, the murderer returned to the stable and making a noise as if a horse had got loose, one of the other young men came down to secure it. He suffered the same fate as his brother. The same ruse was repeated, and the third brother fell a victim to the fatal weapon. Then, as- cending to his father's bedroom, he killed him in his sleep. The mother and sister, who were not yet gone to bed, hear- ing a noise, entered the room, and tried to seize his arms, but he killed the mother with a single blow. The sister struggled with him, and when her body was examined thirty- four wounds were found on it. The servant had been roused by the cries of the women, and coming to their aid shareci the same fate. The murderer then searched the pockets of all the victims, in order as he expressed it, "not to be robbed."

INTESTACY OF PERSONS OF SMALL MEANS. The Lord Chancellor's Bill allows the widow of an intestate dying worth not more than 100l. or one of his children being of age, or, where none of the issue are of age, an uncle or aunt of any of them, to make affidavit in the county court setting forth the value of' the property; and obtain from the registrar a certified copy entitling the applicant to the receipt of any money due t:) the estate, or the transfer of any share in any society, or the benefit of any interest of the deceased in the funds of any society; and payment to such person is to be valid, any next of kin or lawful repre- sentative of the deceased to be left to their remedy against the person to whom the payment has thus been made. The checks against fraud are these :—The affidavit is not to be made until a month after the death of the intestate, or two months if the registrar has received notice of a will or intention to administer the registrar may require a reference to some person known to him by reputation or otherwise to establish the identity and relationship of the applicant; and if l" the registrar has reason to believe that the property of the deceased exceeds 1001., he is to refuse to take the affidavit until satisfied of its truth.

ROMANTIC IF TRUE. A very romantic story, of which the following is an out- line, is reported by the last mail from Australia It is stated that many years since a yen la.dy, the daughter of an Austrian nobleman, left he home of her parents in consequence of a disagreement with her father. Years elapsed without the bereaved father finding any clue to her whereabouts, notwithstanding his utmost researches, and as he advanced in years he determined upon using every effort to discover the lost one. On the assumption by the Earl of Derby of the reins of Government (with whom he was intimately acquainted), he besought that nobleman to discover the whereabouts of his daughter, to which his lordship responded by communicating with the different Go- vernments of the Australian colonies, to some of which it was deemed probable the young lady had gone. His Excellency Sir Henry Manners Sutton, Governor of Victoria, was, amongst others, requested to interest himself in the matter, whereupon his Excellency imme- diately communicated with the ward ens, .of the various L,oldgel,ds. The result was that Mr. Warden T-, of A j on being applied to, recollected that Mr. C-, late clerk of the local court of jpettv sessions, had a servant answering in every way the' description furnished of the lost one. Aiter dus inquiry the warden's surmises proved to be correct, and the truant was found. It a"eared further that the young lady had only lately been married to a well to-do merchant (also an Austrian), residing in Ararat, who now states his intention to return to his own country, and exchange the toils and cares of business for a position far more exalted than his wildest dreams had ever anticipated.