The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

PARIS AND ITS EXHIBITION. (From a Special Correspondent.) These are days of cheap and easy travel, but it is rather remarkable how few people in our own country have ever been to Paris. Few, indeed, there are among the aristocracy who have not visited it, but there is a larger number among the middle classes, while among the working classes to have been to France is quite the exception. Let me then advise the courteous reader to stand not on the order of his going, but to go at once. The present is a very favourable season. True it may be that the crowned heads have departed, and that Paris may not be quite so brilliant, so far as its salons and its upper ten thousand are concerned; but then there is the great advantage to set off against this that the lodging and some other expenses are rather cheaper now than they have been till lately. There has, however, been a great deal of exaggeration in this matter for many months past. The Paris correspondents of the leading journals have set afloat some very erroneous notions on this subject. At the present time lodging at the hotels is rather dearer than it was this time last year, but I can safel) assert that nothing else is advanced in price to any extent worth consideration. It is not my purpose to recommend any particular route. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and the reader must decide for himself after conning over the various tempt- ing offers that are so persistently made in the advertisements of the several companies. If you take the shortest sea pas- sage, you have much more railway, and this through a comparatively uninteresting country; if you go by a very cheap route down the Thames, your journey is apt to be felt very tedious; if you go by a picturesque route by way of Dieppe, you have more sea than by some other routes, and if you are not a good sailor you may wish you had gone some other way; while if you go by Southampton and Havre, you have still more sea to counterbalance the ex- tremely pretty character of the scenery through which you pass and the comparatively low fares that you pay. Choose for yourself, then, dear reader, but choose one way at all events. You never could go to Paris cheaper than you can go now, and you may wait long enough, I fancy, before it is cheaper still. The arrangements on the English and French railways and on the steamers are all but perfection, the only fault of the latter generally being that they are scarcely large enough for the increased numbers who now cross the Channel There is some little trouble perhaps with your luggage, but as little as possible, and there need be no anxiety if you simply observe the regulations. I have been to and from Paris many times with but one portmanteau, which I have, never registered, and which has never cost me a penny for carriage, unless you reckon the cab from railway to hotel and hotel to railway, and even then I could have carried it. I will suppose you to have arrived at the Paris station of the Chemin. de-Fer du Nord, or Northern Railway Sup- posing-you have decided on your hotel you can probably for three sous take an omnibus which goes close to it; or you can take a cab. And here a word about locomotion—for I am going to chat in a free and easy style, taking matters as they come. The omnibus system of Paris is on the whole decidedly superior to that of London; that of the cabs per- haps rather worse. There are thirty-one lines or routes of omnibuses. Outside the charge is three sous; inside six sous; but I may remark in passing that the French reckon copper money by centimes, a centime being the hundredth part of a franc. An easy way to reckon is to strike off the "naught," and you have pence, the five being a halfpenny sixty centimes is sixpence, forty-five is fourpence-lialfpenny, and so on. The outside place then is fifteen centimes, and for this trifle you may ride a very long distance. There is also a correspondence system, by which for thirty centimes you can reach almost any one place in Paris or its outskirts from any other. There are some 4,000 cabs of various kinds in the city. You hire them either by the course or by the hour. Take them as a whole they are rather dearer than the Lon- don cabs, but the drivers are polite and attentive, and there need be no such thing as overcharge, for on entering your cab the driver hands you a ticket with regulations—which if you don't understand you must blame no one but yourself. There are various ways of boarding in Paris. Enterprising contractors will, so to speak, travel you, board you, sleep you, understand you, guide you in fact you need but pas- sively resign yourself into their hands, and very well does Mr. Cook, at all events, do all this. Every one to his taste, however, and this does not happen to be mine. You can ""also arrange for boarding or partial boarding at your hotel. Nor is this to my taste, but it may be to yours. In a French hotel you can put up when you like and leave when you like without a moment's notice; you can dine there—sometimes at a table d'hdte, but more often pri- vately. I recommend, however, that no arrangement be made, and that the visitor leave himself entirely free. The French style of living is a slight breakfast soon after rising; a dejeuner, or second breakfast (what we should call lunch) about noon or one o'clock; and dinner from five to seven after which nothing is eaten. The nearer you can accom- modate yourself to this style the better you will be served, whereas if you try to force your entertainers to treat you in the English style-insisting, for instance on tea for break- fast, bread and cheese and porter for lunch, and rump steak and pale ale for dinner, you will pay very dearly for it. There are here and there in Paris cheap coffee-houses—cremeries, as they are called—where you can have a very fair breakfast for 40, 60, or 80 centimes. In such streets as the Boulevard de Sebastopol, the Rue Vivienne, and in the Palais Royal, there are scores of places where you can lunch well for a franc or dine for 2! or 2t francs, including in the former case a carafon, or quarter-bottle of red wine, and in the latter a half-bottle. A dinner in the Palais Royal for 2s., we will say, including the waiter, is not a bad thing for the rooms are elegantly appointed and decorated with flowers; the food is good, and served in a cleanly and attentive style; and the company is respectable and agreeable. Suppers are unknown in ordinary course, and are only in vogue in con- junction with "company.' The thing to do, you will find, is to go to a cafe on the boulevards, sip your coffee or your liqueur, take your ice or your sorbet, and smoke your cigar, your petit Bordeaux, for example, costing you only a sou. Paris has been often called the city of pleasure. Its theatres, music-halls (cafi-concerts), and places of amuse- ment of every kind, are innumerable, and the reader wants none of my guidance in this matter. There is, perhaps, however, no city in the world, which in itself offers so much attraction as Paris. To walk down the boulevards of an evening; to stroll about the Palais Royal and hear the mili- tary band play to ramble in the Tuileries Gardens, or the Bois de Boulogne, or the Pare de Monceaux; to take a ride through the city, on the top of an omnibus to stroll about the business streets, look at the shops, and notice all that differs from ourselves-all this is cheap amusement. But there are many important and interesting show-places which the stranger ought to make a point of seeing; for instance, the Louvre, the Pantheon, the Invalides with Napoleon's tomb, the Hotel de Cluny, &c., for which the reader may be referred to any of the numerous guide-books. If you have forgotten to bring a guide you may easily procure one in English in the Rue de Rivoli or the Palais Royal; and if you are not much acquainted with French you will find a little Anglo-French phrase-book, which Bradshaw has published, very handy. The Emperor's fete, which is held always on the 15th of August, will thin -year be unusually brilliant. For the first tilne the public buildings will be splendidly illuminated with the e^Ctric light, aad tjig ftjeworks will be remarkably fine, so that those who are in Paris on the 15th will have a treat indeed. Under ordinary circumstances it is a beautiful sight, and this year it will be more beautiful than ever. The Universal Exhibition will, of course, be the central object of attraction. So much has been written on this subject that I will not dwell upon it; but, having several times visited it, I may add that, take it for all in all-its accessories as well as the Exhibition itself-it certainly is the most interesting the world has ever yet seen. The building itself is nothing, for the French did not consider it desirable to expend lavish ornamentation on a structure which must come down, as Paris must have its Champ de Mars for re- views and military spectacles. And in no part of the Exhibition is there any coup d'aeil. These two things said, all has been said against the Exhibition. The whole is most admirably arranged for studying the same kind of products of various countries; or, in other words, for comparing country with country; and this is a great point gained. Day after day may well be employed in examining the contents of the World's Fair; it is a monster shop, if you will, or rather, it is a collection of shors-a Brobdignagian bazaar where things rich and rare, curious and instructive, are exhibited from all parts of the globe. And the visitors are themselves part of the show; they are a study in themselves. You may see Turks, Albanians, Germans, Italians, English, Egyptians, Russians, Chinese and Japanese. And the accessories of the Exhibition —the gardens and parks, and the numerous supplementary exhibitions—will afford ample scope and verge enough for any amount of attentive observation or rambling and lounging. As the visitor will naturally spend the best part of the day in and about the Exhibition it may be interesting to say that there need be no fear of those extravagant charges for refreshment of which we have heard so much. There is one refreshment department called the Omnibus, where you can lunch or dine extraordinarily cheap: and there is a large establishment in the garden, where you can go through the same necessary performances nearly as cheap, and certainly as economically and more comfortably than in England generally. On entering this place a card is given you, on which all the prices are marked, and you choose exactly what you like and pay accordingly the waitresses who attend on you being polite and agreeable in their manners. Just a word in conclusion. A trip to Paris will not only be entertaining and amusing, but instructive and every work- ing man should especially make a point of seeing a little of the manners and customs of our once "natural enemies."

JJtkellitiiemts dltitwal lcius. A MOUNTAIN SLIP.—The Rev. P. Malone, of Bellmullet (Ireland), has published aletter describing the slip of a large quantity of mountain bog into the Atlantic in that neighbourhood. The mountain was broken up by the accumulated water under the peat, which had been dried by the drought that preceded the recent heavy rain. Forty acres, including ten acres of crops, were destroyed and the land rendered valueless for ever. Three or four families have been rendered homeless and destitute by the catastrophe,—the avalanche of bog having nearly swept them away in its downward course to the Atlantic. TAKING IT COOLLY !—The Abbe Domenech, in his work Le Mexique tel qu'il est, describes the character of Juarez as follows Juarez, as is well known, is an Indian. Before becoming Governor of Oaxaca, his native country, he had lived as servant with a barrister, who had him educated and brought up to the law. He afterwards became first Judge of the Supreme Court, and by virtue of his office, Vice President of the Republic. After the flight of Comonfort, in 1858, he succeeded to the Presidency, notwithstanding the intrigues of his competitors. He is a man of some talent, exceedingly cunning and tenacious, but quite insignificant as a politician or administrator. His courage is not superior to his capa- city as a statesman. When the fighting, for and against him, was going on at the gates of Mexico under the Republic, one of my friends went to say to him, President, get on horse- back, and hasten to the Alameda to sustain the spirit of your soldiers by your presence." "I cannot ride on horseback," replied Juarez, phlegmatically, as he lay stretched on a sofa, continuing to smoke. Well, get on a donkey," replied my friend, who could not restrain his indignation. It is not worth while," replied the President, after a moment of re- flection on the advice, the bent of which he did not perceive. ALLOWANCES TO DISGRACED OFFICERS.—A re- turn has been issued of the cases in which officers who had been dismissed from the Indian army during the last ten years have been granted subsistence money, the nature of the offences for which those officers were dismissed, and the amount granted in each case. It appears from this return that in 1858 a surgeon of 21 years' service was dismissed for disgraceful conduct, and granted 1201. ubsistence money; in 1859, a captain, 15 years' service, intemperate habits, 501. in I860, a lieutenant, 14 years' service, drunk on duty and cashiered by sentence of court-martial, 601. in 1862, a major, 27 years' service, abuse of official authority, 2921. in 1863, a captain, 23 years' service, fraud, and cashiered by sentence of court-martial, 501. in 1864, a captain, 22 years' service, intemperate habits, 1001. in 1865, a lieutenant, 10 years' service, inefficiency, 501. in 1866, a captain, 19 years' service, intem- perance, 50?. in 1866, also, a lieutenant, 6 years' service, fraud, 351. in 1867, a captain and brevet major, 25 years' service, cashiered by sentence of court- martial for embezzlement, 501. also in 1867, a captain, 17 years' service, intemperate habits, 501, A RELIC OF ROBERT BURNS.—At a sale of old manuscripts and books in London the other day, the following lot was included :—Robert Burns's ode, Bruce's Address to his Troops at Bannockburn Tune, "Lewie Gordon." The autograph manuscript of this poem is written on two sides of a letter ad- dressed to Captain Millar, Dalswinton. The letter commences :— Dear Sir,—The following ode is on a subject which I know you by no means regard with indifference :— "0, Liberty- Thou mak'st the gloomy faceof nature gay, Giv'st beauty to the sun, and pleasure to the day." It does me so much good to meet with a man whose honest bosom glows with the generous enthusiasm, the heroic daring of liberty, that I could not forbear sending you a composi- tion of my own on the subject, which I really think is in my best manner, &a. (Signed) ROBERT BURNS. A more desirab'e memorial of this beautiful Scottish poet," says the catalogue, "it would be impossible to possess." This precious relic of the great Scottish poet is framed and glazed, and enclosed in a handsome mahogany case; it went for 121. A USEFUL HINT.—Dr. Marcliant, of Cbarenton, treating of the importance of insufflation in cases of asphyxia, recommends the persons present to introduce a new tobacco pipe into one of the nostrils, then pinch them close, and also shut the mouth by laying the palm of the hand upon it, so as to prevent the air from escaping and lastly, to make one of the bystanders take the bowl of the tobacco pipe into his mouth and slowly blow into it till his breath is exhausted. The patients chest will be seen to heave the operator should then stop and press it down again with his hands, and thus continue alternately blowing and pressing till the heart begins to throb, and natural respiration is restored. NARROW ESCAPE.—As the train due at Holy- head at 2.25 p.m. on Sunday was proceeding from that station to the mail boat, the pointsman at the pier omitted to direct the train in its proper direction. Half the train, therefore, ran into a train of coal waggons, and was only prevented from running into the harbour by changing the points as the other half of the train passed, and throwing the latter part off the line, which held on the former part. The carpenter of the Connaught was knocked down by a pair of gates being carried away by the engine, and had to remain in Holyhead. LIFE ASSURANCE IN FRANCE.—The institution of life assurances is at length about to receive in France its official consecration. By the terms of a bill laid before the Legislative Body some day before it broke up, there is to be instituted, under the guarantee of the State, a Caisse-d'Assurances, to pay, on the death of each assured, to his heirs or assigns, a determinate sum which cannot exceed 3,000f. To this creation is annexed a similar one for accidents resulting from agricultural or manufacturing labours. b A SCHOOL EXAMINATION IN SCOTLAND.—In one of the schools of which the Presbytery reports that the religious instruction is duly attended to," the following specimen of "Bible knowledge" is quoted: —Question: Mention any miracle that Christ per- formed ? No answer. Master: Come now, some miracle? "He turned water into wi-, Children: "Wine." Master: Quite light; "He turned water into wine." Question Where did he perform this miracle? No answer. Master for children Where did he perform this miracle? "In Can a of Gal—" Children: Galilee. "-Magter Quite right, "In Cana of Galilee." Question On what occasion was this miracle performed ? No asgwer.—Master; On what occasion? You know this "At a mar- -mar- Chil- dren: "At a marriage."—Master: Quite right, "At a marriage." As the examination proceeded in this way, the children answering not one word, only the last syllable, we came to the names of some of the disciples. Question Can you tell what Peter did to Christ shortly before his crucifixion? As usual, no answer.—Master Come, now, you know what Peter did ? Peter betray—betray—. Children: Betrayed him.—Master: Yes; quite right. Peter betrayed him. —It was suggested that it was not Peter who betrayed Christ, and we asked who did; but this time both master and children were dumb. Presently the master said that the class was engaged on the Old Testament, and that they knew it better than the New. THE PAINS AND PLEASURES OF ROYALTY.— A correspondent of the Morning Post writes:— There are people who fancy that the heir-apparent to the British Crown is in the uninterrupted enjoyment of a well- paid sinecure. Let those who envy him reflect on the amount of work devolved upon him, and which he performed so admirably, during the Sultan's visit. He had to make four railway journeys, backwards and forwards, between London and Dover. Day after day he was on duty, morning, noon, and evening, finding amusement and keeping up con- versation for a visitor who could only communicate with him through an interpreter. If by chance he had a few hours to spare from this attendance he was obliged to devote them to the Viceroy. Now, consider it your own case. Fa>:cy having to sacrifice time, habits, occupations, and com- forts in this fashion. Cobbett once offered to undertake the duties of King for the moderate salary of 4001, a year. For my part I would not undertake the duties of the Prince of Wales during one of the Oriental episodes for ten times that amount of pay. IMMENSE Tumoup,Tlie Registrar-General of Ireland records the death at Magherafelt of a man aed eighty-five years, from congestion of the lungs. This man had an immense pendulous sarcomatous tumour growing from the side of his neck, which was computed by several medical men who saw it to weigh from 30 to 50 pounds it was of 40 years' growth, and was perhaps the largest tumour in the kingdom it lay pendulous over the front of the right side of the chest and arm, and at times the bearer of this most grievous burden would utilise it by turning it back under his 'head and making a—we cannot fancy comfortable— pillow of it. So true it is that" me doth breed a habit in a man" when he can accustom himself to carry half a hundredweight of deformity appended to one side of his neck and look upon it as a thing to be turned to account. A SAFE CHALLENGE.—An iron safe shown at the Paris Exhibition by a manufacturer of New York bears a ticket with the words Deft au monde entier." The challenge has just been accepted by an English manufacturer of similar articles, who undertakes to pick the lock for a wager of 15,000f. which has been deposited by both sides in the hands of M. Le Play, Commissioner General. A jury of five engineers, two English, two Americans, and one French, said to be M. Fichet, has been named to preside. The winner engages to divide the stakes of 15,000f. between the charitable institutions of Washington, London, and Paris. A CONTRADICTION.—There must be a woman's rights convention at Colchester, or some machinery by which they manage their business affairs with, for ladies, commendable celerity. In the debate on the motion of Mr. Mill to admit women to the franchise, it was stated by Mr. Karslake, M.P. for Colchester, that during the three months he had had the honour to have a seat in that House, although he had received day by day petitions and applications of various kinds upon subjects which he regarded as of a most trivial character, he had not received one single application, one single notification, verbal or written, in favour of the proposition of the honourable member." It is a singular fact that on Thursday night Mr. Karslake presented a petition from 129 ladies and others, his constituents at Colchester, in favour of this proposi- tion. STERNHOLD AND HOPKINS. The celebrated Scaliger was so delighted with that famous stanza of Sternhold and Hopkins, on the 18th Psalm, — On cherubs and on cherubims Full royally he rode; And on the wings of mighty winds Came flying all abroad; that he used to profess that he had rather been the author of it than to have enjoyed the kingdom of Arragon. CHINESE COCK-FIGHTING.-Althongh gambling may be considered the most favourite of all the vices to which the Chinese are addicted, nevertheless there is another to which the greater portion of the lower classes in this place (says the Straits Times) are very partial, and that is cock-fighting. Almost every Sunday, which is the day amongst all others in the week they select, owing, we suppose, from their having less to do on that day, numbers of Chinese may be seen passing along the New Harbour-road, seated in hack carriages with a gamecock on each of their laps. On reaching Campong Bahru, they hire a small boat to take them over to Palo Brani, and after walking some little distance into the interior, they proceed, after partaking of a hearty repast, to indulge in the sport above alluded to, resting perfectly assured that they are beyond the clutches of the police, and that there is not the least probability of their little game being interrupted. Towards evening they return to town, after having, no doubt, either won or lost a consider- able amount of money on bets. THE DRINK AGAIN !-An inquest was held at Liverpool on Saturday, on the body of Ann Crews, a single woman, 27 years of age. The deceased gained a livelihood by charing and sewing, and got drunk daily. She drank whisky, which she took neat. The woman with whom she lived said that for the last three months she had drank excessively, and on Monday she was out of her mind. She rambled very much in her talk, and cursed and screamed dreadfully with her face to the wall. That afternoon she was seized with fits, which continued up to midight on Friday, when she died.—Verdict, "Death from Excessive Drinking." SHOCKING INGRATITUDE OF LOPEZ. The Libei-te narrates the following incident in the life of the infamous Lopez :— The colonel was one day surprised at the head of a squadron by a considerable ambush of the enemy. As heroism is not positively his forte, he commanded a retreat, and turned his horse's head. In his flight the animal received a ball and fell. A soldier, in his extreme peril, took the colonel up behind him but the horse having double weight slacked his pace, and the enemy approached rapidly. Lopez understood that if nothing was done they were both lost; and so he drew a pistol from his belt, shot the soldier in the back, threw down the corpse, and then escaped alone A JOINT STOCK BEGGARS' COMP ANY. The public have for a long time past," observes the Courrier Francais, had to complain of the number of ragged children who practice in the streets of Paris upon the charity of the passers-by, under pretence of playing the harp, violin, or guitar. These poor creatures are said to .belong to a regular joint-stock company which possesses 80,000f. in French Rente. Barnums of the lowest grade, rude, lazy, and cruel, they make use of the children by speculating on the pity which infancy in want always inspires. The number of the children is continually augmenting a short time since it seemed to comprise only a single family, now it is that of a tribe. The time has arrived to sweep all this vermin off the streets of the capital. The blind men who used to play the clarionet on the bridges have been driven away; and beggars, importunate, persistent, and sometimes even insolent, should no longer be permitted to encumber our public places. Our own poor are quite enough; and, besides, Paris ought not to be for the Italians, any more than for others, a school of vagabondage and laziness." THE KING OF SWEDEN.—A correspondent writing from Vichy, says :— The King of Sweden, Charles XV., lives here in the strictest incognito, under the name of Count de Beckasdog; he resides in the Emperor's villa, the interior of which M. Lefaure, the architect, has arranged to suit his Majesty's convenience. He has in attendance his private physician, M. Lundberg, and Doctors Alquie and Willemin, First and Second Inspectors of the Baths. The King is fond of the theatre, and goes there every evening. With that exception his life is singularly retired. He is said to be well versed in music, himself writing words to the melodies which he composes. SUICIDE BY CHARCOAL.—A mysterious suicide bas just taken place at Evreux. A horse-dealer of Dreux, named Leroy, alighted a few evenings back at an hotel, accompanied by a young woman, supposed to be his wife, and a child, a boy aged about six years. On the following afternoon the female paid the account they had incurred in the hotel, as if with the intention of leaving, but shortly after groans were heard from the room occupied by the three persons, and on the door being forced open, they were found lying on the ground insensible, while a pan of charcoal was burning before them. The roan and child, were dead, but the other was still breathing, and was re- moved to a hospital. A written paper showing that the man and woman had resolved to commit suicida was found on a table. The female appears to have been the wife of a cattle-dealer at Nonancourt, and was the mother of the child. THE SLADE CASE.—In explanation of the terms on which the Slade baronetcy case has been settled, a correspondent writes General Slade pays his own costs, which are expected t8 amount to nearly 16,0001., out of the sum of 28.0001. which he is to receive in settlement of his claim. The result of this unfortunate litigation to the different parties will be that Sir Alfred Slade, the eldest son of the late baronet, Sir Frederick Slade, Q C., retains the title and takes the estates, with a burden of about 40,0001., 10,0001. being lor his own costs and 28,0001, paid to the General; while General Slade will hardly receive more than 10,0001, after payment of his costs. No less than 20,0001. will be distributed among the lawyers, who will be the only gainers by these proceedings, terminating, as it has been arranged they shall, by judgment being en- tered for the defendant, to whom the General and his eldest son will execute proper deeds of release, Another correspondent writes in explanation :— Before the trial commenced an arrangement was made by plaintiff and son with the defendant, that the unsuccessful party in the Court of Exchequer, if he chose to accept the decision as final within twenty-eight days of judgment, should have a right to his costs from the successful party. This arrangement has been availed of by General Slade and his son, who have announced their intention of not appeal- ing, and will sign a deed confirming Sir Alfred Slade's pos- sessions. Another paragraph states that the joint costs of the case amount to 26,0001. THE END OF AN ABUSE.—A ukase has just been issued at St. Petersburg abolishing a curious custom which has long prevailed among the Russian clergy. In Russia, as is known, the parish priests, or popes, form a sort of exclusive caste the children of popes may enter other professions, but that of the clergy is exclusively recruited from among their fami- lies. This principle was carried so far that not only was a pope succeeded on his death by his son as a matter of course, but if he died without male issue, the revenues of the benefice passed into the hands of his eldest daughter until she found a pope who would marry her and undextake the charge of the parish. The endless abuses to which this extraordinary system gave rise may easily be imagined, and have brought great discredit on the Russian clergy. By the new ukase it is provided that in future, when a pope dies, the Government shall take immediate steps for filling" up the vacant post with the candidate whom it shall find best qualified for it. AN IOU.—Very vague and inaccurate notions exist with regard to an IOU. It is simply evidence of an account struck or stated between the parties to it. It is different in many respects from a bill or promis- sory note. It imports no consideration, as a bill or note does. The holder of an IOU must prove the considerations for which it is given—though not neces- sarily in all its particulars. An IOU does not, any more than an ordinary trade debt, carry interest. Finally, if an IOU contains any promise to pay, it loses its character as such, and becomes a promissory note. The paper thus ceases to have any validity, because it is not stamped as a promissory note, which cannot, like ordinary agreements, be stamped after signature. Your IOU is no good to you whatever but you may recover the amount due to you in a simple action of debt, if you can prove the loan by other means. A COMPLIMENTARY TOAST.-At the banquet given to the king of Portugal, at the Hotel de Ville, in Paris, his Majesty proposed the following toast To the Municipal Council of this beautiful city, which monarchs and their subjects are so happy in -visiting, for which they feel an unbounded admiration; and to the Prefect of the Seine, who has contributed so much to make Paris an eighth wonder of the world Queen Maria Pia, who was unable to be present at the dinner, arrived at the Hotel de Ville at half-past nine, in time for the concert. A CURIOUS DISCOVERy,-Oll the farm of a man named M'Garry, residing at Augliamore, near Gra- nara, there has been discovered a curious relic in the shape of a wooden house, which is constructed of black bog oak. It was found under water in an ex- hausted bog, at a considerable depth beneath the sur- face. It measures twenty-three feet by ten feet, and consists of eight very strong beams, ranging in length from ten feet to thirteen feet, which are supported by cross beams of great strength, and firmly jointed. The side beams are mortised, as if intended, for uprights. The house was taken asunder in the process of raising, but this was so carefully done that it can all be put completely together again. A FALLACY DISPELLED.-The wife of a labour- ing man at Iiorsted was summoned the other day for assaulting another woman by throwing two pails of water over her. The evidence showed that the defendant fetched two pails of clean water from some little distance for the purpose mentioned, but before ducking the complainant she washed her hands in it, and on inquiry as to her motive for doing so, it was found that it was done in the belief that if a person throws dirty water over another the law is powerless, and can have no hold upon the individual committing such an assault. The magistrates showed her the fallacy of such a belief by fining her 6d. and costs, or the alternative of a month's imprisonment. THE MORMON TITHING SYSTEM.—The Salt Lake Union Vidette gives the following :—■ When a man joins the Mormon Church as it exists in Utah, he is required, as a proof of his sincerity, to donate to the tithing office one-tenth of all his possessions-no matter what they are, or how extensive they may be. A man with 100,000 dols. in money must upon his entry into fellowship, give the tithing office 10,000 dols. of it. This is the first grand principle of Utah Mormonism. If the man during the year makes 40,000 dols. by a judicious invest- ment of his remaining 90,000 dols., he must give the tithing office 4,000 dols. of the amount. This is the second grand principle of Utah Mormonism; and upon these two prin- ciples hang all the law and the profits. If a man has no money or other property, he is required to give one-tenth of his labour to the tithing office thus lie labours nine days for himself, and the tenth lie gives to the Church in such manner as may be directed. THE BEER DRINKERS OF EUROPE. —The flopftit. Zeilung (hop gazette) of Nuremberg gives some curious statistics respecting the consumption of beer in Europe. The average quantity consumed by each person in the y ear 18u(i was 27 quarts, but it differs greatly in the various countries. In Bavaria the average is 134 quarts in England, 113 in Wurtem- berg, 104 in Belgium, 80; in Brunswick, 68; in Thuringia, 60; in Saxony, 39 in Holland, 39; in Baden, 31 in Austria, 22 in Switzerland, 20; in Prussia, 19 "6; in France, 15; in Sweden, 11*5; in Spain, 2 in Russia, i '3; in Italy, 1 and in Portugal, 0'8. Of the capitals of Europe Munioh re- latively consumes the most beer, the average drunk by each of its inhabitants being 427 quarts a year. The Londoner drinks on the average 188 quarts a year the Viennese, 131 the Frankfurter, 43 the Berliner, 28 and the Parisian, 22. A BALLOON MARRIAGE.—A New York paper says:— Pittsburg has enjoyed the spectacle of a balloon marriage," like that of two years ago at Central Park. The alderman who performed the ceremony took the precaution, in addition to his personal ballast, of having the balloon strongly secured by a cord a hundred feet high; and after he alighted the happy couple went off on a bridal tour 2,000 feet above the earth's level. What is the object of these aerial weddings? Do they add to the solemnity of the rite? Do they make it more ethereal" tfll going up in the air? Is the marital knot stronger when tied in a balloon ? All this business of balloon nuptials strikes us as a sensationalism quite out of keeping with the nature of the ceremony. However, if it turus popular attention to ballooning as a mode of practical locomotion, it may have some good result. We have now had two balloon marriages; the next thing in order is a balloon funeral. GIVING THEM A HEARTY WELCOME! -The Irish Roman Catholic prelates, now returning from the canonization festival at Rome, are receiving wel- comes from their flocks. Archbishop Leahy has been presented with an address at Thurles, and in replying described the splendours of the scene in St. Peter's, when the Holy Father and the Cardinals beheld the forest of mitres representing the whole Catholic world." The Pope, he said, would never surrender one iota of the Church's inalienable rights, or one single tittle of the principles of immutable j ustice. Dr.- Leahy praised his hearers for their observance of "the Sunday Temperance Law "—a regulation existing in his dio- cese by which Roman Catholic publicans are required to keep their establishments closed on that day. They had submitted to this law without a murmur, and observed it with scrupulous fidelity." The Most Rev. Dr. Power was met at Killaloe on his return by a band and a procession; tar barrels were lighted, and a large bonfire blazed in the town. In his sermon next day Dr. Power glowingly described the scenes in Rome, which, he said, according to the testimony of The Times, correspondent, actually bewitched the be" holders. The procession of ecclesiastics was more than four miles in length, and 40,000 prieata took part in it.