The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

SPORTS AND PASTIMES -+- Turkey Hunting in Grippsland. A correspondent of the Field says: Few Australian sports can vie with the pursuit of that magnificent game bird, the Tallegalla or native tur- key. Cautious, coy, and watchful, of great power of wing and greyhound-like speed of foot, the sportsman needs the utmost vigilance, experience, and readiness of expedient to circumvent it. "Turkeys are becoming much less abundant than they once were in the civilised parts of this great country; as population extends its empire the aborigi- nal denizens of the forest dwindle in number, and retire to quarters more congenial to their tastes and habits. No creature is more likely to withdraw from the presence of man than this inhabitant of the free and open plain; all his comforts and enjoyments seem to depend on the clear grassy space of a wide-spread domain. The wandering disposition of these birds, too, speaks to the extent of country requisite to their necessities: they still occasionally visit some parts of the country, but rarely remain for any length of time in one locality. "A few years ago I had the pleasure of visiting a friend in the district of Gippsland, Victoria, who was the fortunate possessor of one of the finest runs in that part of the country, consisting chiefly of rich, ex- tensive, grassy plains, interspersed with park-like clumps of noble box and other trees, remnants of the aneient Australian forests. The trees were not so abundant as to interfere seriously with the motions of the wild turkeys, which frequented these attractive glades at tolerably regular intervals. They were looked for at the time I now call to remembrance, and, to our great gratification, the stockmen, who were always on the look-out for Buch strangers, brought the report one evening that a brood or two of I turkeys had been seen at no serious distance from the homestead. No time was to be lost; preparations for the onslaught were speedily commenced, and arranged to the full extent the stores of our worthy host (who, by-the-bye, was not much of a sportsman) admitted of. A couple of guns were forthcoming, and a small stock of No. 3 shot and some gunpowder were hunted up, as well as a few caps, and daylight next morning fixed for our departure. Much of the evening, as may be imagined, was devoted to discus- sions on the best mode of approaching the wild turkey, and all agreed that the old method of stalking, under cover of a horse accustomed to the ruse, was far from being the best, and that there was a much bettor mode of circumventing these watchful and suspicious birds. This method was adopted by one of the two parties who engaged in the sport on the following day. The 1 stockowner's gig having been put in requisition, was occupied by two of the party, who had often enjoyed I opportunities on previous occasions of testing the efficacy of the scheme. Starting from a spot hidden < from the sight of the game, whose exact position has been already ascertained and marked, the vehicle is skilfully steered, so that the sportsmen, although they seem inclined to pass at some distance from the rest- less birds, nevertheless gradually slide nearer to them, until the rapidly-impelled carriage is brought into full viewof the victims, whose whole attention is for the time bound up in fascinated gaze on their enemies. The hint is given at the right moment by the driver to his com- panion, who occupies a seat on the bottom of the car- riage, with his legs over the side, screened from the sight of their quarry, and instantly slips from his seat, prepared for his share of the duty, whilst his as. sistant keeps his course without change of pace, holding the attention of the game fully occupied, whilst the sportsman sometimes creeps in upon them a few paces ere they take to wing. This plan of proceeding, con- ducted by practised hands, frequently proves suc- cessful. On this occasion three fine turkeys, of twelve to fifteen pounds weight each, were brought in during the day. Another of the party sighted a small detach- ment of the birds not more than half a mile from the homestead, and perceiving that a slight hollow in the ground, otherwise nearly dead level, led in the right direction, set out to creep in upon them. Patiently continuing his recumbent, almost snakelike progress, until reaching the marks taken before starting, he cautiously raised his head over the stunted herbage which clothed the bank. There the birds were, three bulky representatives of their race, but at a distance too great for an ordinary double fowling-piece, loaded with No. 3, to make much impression; and there was nothing for it but patience and the hope that they might change their course and come towards his am. bush. The game, however, came no nearer, and a rush towards the game was only followed by the doubtful pleasure of hearing the shot rattle on their impervious plumage as they flew away. The Australian bird, though no true turkey, on tha table fully supplies the place of that bird, being delicate enough to tickle the palate of an alderman. Its flavour is, perhaps, slightly stronger than that of the turkey, but not more so than to impart to it the distinguishing characteristic only to be found in game. HER MAJESTY'S pack of staghounds had a splendid run of one hour and forty minutes on Friday-the fastest this season. The throw-off waa at Bracknell, whence the chase went towards Briokbridge and White Waltham, over Shotten-hangers Farm towards Touch-an-end. The stag crossed the Thames near the Great Western Bridge at Maidenhead, and passed over the Bath-road, being finally taken in the vicinity of Two-mile Brook. Mr. Davis, the veteran royal huntsman, now seventy-nine years of age, rode as well as ever. There was a large field. THE Sunday Times prophet, under the name of Vaticinator, makes the following comments on the weights and chances of horses in the spring handicaps Before making a definite selection, we deem it prudent to await the publication of the acceptances which are promised for Tuesday evening next. This pre- ) caution is especially necessary in these times, for the tactics of certain stables are pregnant of deception. ] When the acceptances are to hand we shall throw out some useful hints about the Northampton, Chester, Epsom, Newmarket, and other handicaps just pub- lished. We much question whether the City and Subur- ban will meet with general approval, for Lord West- moreland's horses are too well in, particularly Brahma, Merry Hart, and Sidewind; nevertheless Archimedes, Kangaroo, Copenhagen, Zambesi, Siberia, Oat and Outer, Valiant, Perfumer, Eleanor, Provisor, Cran- ford, Nukuheva, Holstein, Aetasa, Morris Dancer, Alberta, Dubiety, Lochiel, and Effervescence are not badly treated, and there might possibly be a good field, after all, as it is a patent fact that few of the Findon favourites are really formidable when the pub- lic expect them to be so. We are sceptical as to the result of the Great Metropolitan handicapping, in which Harry Brailsford gets 161b. more than in the Chester Cup, Ackworth 151b., Sidewind and Auditor 141b. each, Buckfoot 121b., Salpinctes and Fidelite lllb. each, Eltham 101b., John Davis 91b., and Pearl Diver Slb. though it must be borne in mind that Mr. Topham's scale is 51b. less than that of the admiral's. Still, we prefer the Cestrian imposts to the Surrey onea,.and have no doubt that the result of the accept- ances and the conflicts will endorse our conclusion as satisfactory. Not that we are partial te the Chester imposts, after all, for where there is only 201b. between the three year olds and Ackworth in that race, we consider the handicap somewhat spoiled, so far as the youngsters (who have hitherto formed a prominent feature in the Roodee contests) are con- cerned, for John Day's horse has only 21b. more to carry than he did when the dirt prevented his winning on the banks of the Dee last anniversary. If Aok- worth can beat Baragah (who ran Ely to a neck in .Berkshire) at only 21b., we should prefer him to Red- cap or the comparatively turned loose John Davis, though the suspicious Blithfield and the dangerous Harry Brailsford might ultimately upset the best calculations of the Danebury patricians. We expect no other than to see Baragah, Ackworth, Mail Train, Pearl Diver, Saladin, Blithfield, Victorious, Salpinctes, Dalby, Redcap, The Clown, Sandal, Gomera, Valiant, Auditor, The Grinder, The Buck, Lord Zetland, Ghillie Callum, Harry Brailsford, Chimney Sweep, Don Basilio, Blue Riband, Surney, Helon, the Rather High colt, Alberta (by Trumpeter), William Pitt, Fan, Gong, Monitor, and Wolfdog, amongst these left in next week; and of these Blith- field, Redcap, Lord Zetland, Harry Brailsford, and Surney have been backed for the most money this week. Of course Solon, Zambesi, and the other early favourites are quite out of the hunt; but it is a pity that their owners should have suffered, as they evi- dently have done, from the premature rushes to get on. At present 33 to 1 is laid on the field, but there is bound to be a great alteration in market movements during the ensuing week, at the close of which we shall venture to make some definite selection for the Roodee prize. Touching the Metropolitan, we may note that Lansdown appears to us to be particularly well in, though we by no means despise the chances of The Czar, Lochiel, and Chimney Sweep. Mail Train and Valiant are favourably treated for the Great Northamptonshire; and if The Duke and Knight of Snowden are in anything like form, the Lincolnshire Handicap will be at their mercy, unless Wild Bee and Tusoulanum are improved more than we suspect them to be. As for the Liverpool Grand National, that is best left alone for a time; but there is no gainsaying that Agag, Surney, Old Oswestry, and Balder are favourably treated and must see a short price. The first-mentioned is in the hands of the Mason party, and is schooling at Sutton. He goes like abird.

THE WHITMORE DIVORCE CASE. The case of Whitmore v. Whitmore came before the Judge-Ordinary on Tuesday, and was finally dis- posed of. Sir J. P. Wilde, in giving judgment in this case, stated that he had reserved two points for considera- tion. It was a suit instituted by the wife, oharging the husband with adultery and cruelty. The husband filed an answer, but he did not appear on the trial. The case was heard before a jury, who gave a verdict for the petitioner, and the Court pronounced a decree nisi and condemned the respondent in costs. In January of this year, and long after the decree nisi had been pronounced, but before it was made absolute in consequence of the intervention of the Queen's Proctor, affidavits were brought before this Court charging the petitioner with having committed adul- tery during the time the case was going on. These affidavits she was unable to answer, and a fortnight ago she appeared by her counsel, and admitted that she had committed adultery, and the decree nisi was in consequence revoked, and the petition dismissed. On that two questions arose—first, what amount of ali- I mony the petitioner was entitled to; and, second, what powers she had to enforce payment of costs. The alimony was charged from the 6th July, when the decree nisi was pronounced to the 5th January, when the petitioner's adultery was made mani- fest, the Court having made an order for the payment of such alimony, it seemed to him that the husband must pay it. If the wife had come to the Court and asked for alimony after her adultery was established, the Court would have at once refused to grant it. But she had got an order previous to that, and it seemed to him that were the Court now to say that because she had committed adultery it would not enforce its own order, it would lead to very great abuse, as parties might put off obeying the orders of the Court in order to see what might turn up. He was, therefore, of opinion that the alimony must be paid. As regarded the costs, there was a case, Keats v. Keats, which was decided by the full Court, and which is reportqd in Sowerbyand Tristram, in which it was laid down that it was too late to tax a wife's costs after she was pro-veti to have committed adultery. In the present case he was inclined to act upon that authority. But while the wife was not entitled to have an order for eosfc/s taxed after her adultery was made manifest, she was entitled to have 1 any order enforced for costs taxed previous to that period. There were here taxed costs, and an order issued for payment of them previous to that, and payment of these the wife was entitled to. He was, l therefore, of opinion that the order made for payment of these costs should be enforced, and for these and the alimony an attachment would be issued. Ordered accordingly.

STOPPAGE OF THE SUNDAY SECULAR LECTURES. The fourth of the series of the above "Evenings" took place last Sunday evening, at St. Martin's-hall, and was attended by a larger concourse of people than any of the three preceding ones, a report having gone abroad that the Lord's Day Observance Society had set in action an old Act of Parliament, for the purpose of preventing their continuance. The hall and galleries were crowded. A larger number of ladies were present than usual. The subject of the discourse was "Many Members, but One Body," the lecturer being Mr. W. B. Hogson, LL.D. Mr. Kenny (the managing member of the committee under whose superintendence the "Evenings" were conducted) then rose, and said no doubt most of the friends present were aware of the strong opposition that existed on the part of the Sabbatarian party to this movement, and this feeling had resulted in the sending of a lawyer's letter from the solicitor of the Lord's Day Observance Society, Mr., Baxter, to the lessees of St. Martin's-hall, warning them against letting the hall on Sunday evenings for the illegal object for which it was now being used. Mr. W. Shaen, solicitor, said that on Friday last two members of the committee called upon him with a long letter the committee had received from Mr. Dangerfield, the solicitor of the lessees, to the effect that the hall would in future be closed against them, legal proceedings having been threatened against the lessees under an act of Geo. III., cap. 39, passed in 1781, for keeping open a disorderly house on the Sun- day evening, for the discussion of texts of Holy Scrip- ture, and the performance of music by professional singers, and for taking money at the doors, it being a house of entertainment and amusement, and by which the lessees were liable to a penalty of X200 per day. It was further stated in Mr. Baxter's letter that this and other penalties would be strictly enforced, unless the hall was at once closed on the Sunday evenings for the object it was at present used for (shame). After consultation it was resolved by the committee and several of the gentlemen who had interested them- selves in the movement to have the question tried in the Court of Queen's Bench as to whether the Sun- day Evenings for the People" came under the Act in question, and for this purpose he (Mr. Shaen), in com- pany with Mr. Dangerfield, had waited upon Mr. Baxter, and it had been arranged that on Monday Mr. Baxter should issue a writ against Messrs. B. Langley, Crawford, and Morrell as representing the committee, for a violation of the above Act. He expected the trial would take place in the Qaeen's Bench in the Easter term, and the committee would take care that the most eminent counsel it was pos- sible to obtain should be employed. Of course, in the meantime, the Sabbatarian party had succeeded in their object, in closing the hall (hear). If judgment went against them, then they intended to apply to Parliament for a repeal of the Act (cheers). Mr. B. Langley said he could not for one moment believe that any court of law at this day would decide that the proceedings which had taken place on this and the other evenings came within the provisions of the Act alluded to (hear). The Scriptures were not dis- cussed in anyway (hear). They were now called upon to defend the right of private judgment in the principal law court of England, and as the expenses would be heavy, he hoped all lovers of free thought and free discussion would subscribe to the defence fund to be established (hear). The programme of the evening was then proceeded with, and a selection from the Messiah was given by the vocalists and choir. Before the assembly broke up a subscription list was opened for the defence fund, and zC250 was at once subscribed, independent of the collection made at the doors, which amountedto several pounds.

THE LION OF HIS PROFESSION. A Sketch of a Surgical Operation. On the black board by the door of a London hos pital there is attached by four wafers a simple an- nouncement. Simple as it looks, it meets with very great notice, for as the students keep dropping in, some in little knots, others singly, a good many in pairs, the first thing they look at is the little sheet of paper with but few words in print and fewer in writing upon it. Has it begun ? Is Mr. here yet ? are the constant questions addressed to the important man with the red collar on his coat of blue. This functionary is the porter, whose chief business con. sists in keeping order among the crowd of people in the out-patients' room, and in letting up and down a wooden bar to allow them as their turn arrives access to the celebrities they have come to consult. Let us follow the students as they pass through the various passages and corridors of the building. The out. patient practice has no charm for the students to-day. The physicians are going their rounds alone; for, how. ever often the theory may be enunciated that in rank the practice of physic takes precedence of the practice of surgery, yet the fact remains patent that a brilliant operator creates more enthusiasm than the best phy- sician, his test-tubes, stethoscope, and microscope notwithstanding. Passing up a narrow staircase, we find ourselves at the top of a tier of steps, at the bottom of which is the room proper. The bright rays of the sun pass through the ample skylight, and dis- cover a densely-packed mass of people filling the round gallery. We are in the operating theatre of the hospital. Around us we see, let into the walls, medal- lions of the great surgeons of old times-the apostles of the art, whose names are held in veneration by their clever, eager followers of to-day. Here and there among the students we have pale-faced, anxious looking men, who have called in daring their round of so-called "general practice." They have come to see their former master operate—the surgeon who is at the pinnacle of the profession and who has earned fame, wealth, and now a title, by his talents, and who has been the instrument, ih God's hands, of alleviating much human suffering and distress. In the area of the theatre there are signs of the approaching operation. There is the peculiar table that can extend and fold in all directions, with its straps and appendages. There are the cans of hot and cold water, the basins, the sponges, and many other things. The surgical dressers flit about, anxious that nothing shall be forgotten, and the house surgeon, with ligatures ready in the button-hole of his coat, is examining for the last time the glittering array of knives and other instruments preserved in a case as delicately lined as a lady's jewel-box. By degrees the minor luminaries of the medical and surgical staff of the hospital arrive, and the students ranged above, so noisy at their college in awarding approval to their favourite teachers, only show here by a half-stifled buzz their recognition. At last the lion of the hour arrives, a strong, stalwart man, placid, cool, and smiling, the least anxious of the whole assembly. A smothered roar of approbation meets him as he lifts his eyes and nods to the assembled crowd. A gesture of his hand checks any unseemly noise, for now the patient is being carried in and laid tenderly on the cushioned table. The latter gives a sharp, half-frightened glance above at the dense mass of hushed, eager, and expectant students. The time has at last arrived which has been in his thoughts for days and weeks—aye, may be months. It is a moment of agony for the poor man, in spite of all the care and kindness shown to him. The great surgeon whispers in his ear and pats his shoulder kindly. The patient grasps the hand of his friend, and instantly another medical man fits the apparatus for the inhalation of chloroform. In a little time he is' wandering in his talk, he gesticulates with his hands, but soon he drops off like a sleeping child. Quietly turning up his cuffs and giving a scrutinising glance through the gleaming instruments spread on the white-clothed tray, the surgeon turns to the diseased limb. There is 9, dead stillness throughout the theatre as with steady hand the operator coolly and rapidly proceeds. His knife is crimson now, and the warm red blood wells up and spirts around. The saw is quickly used, and a few more dexterous movements with the knife perfect the operation. All the pumping arteries are caught and tied, and the parts are skil- fully adjusted. Then the still unconscious patient is carried off to awake in his bed and find himself sur- rounded by all that skill, ingenuity, and wealth can bring to bear for suffering man. The surgeon ha. done his best within bis limit; the issue rests wish Gad; for, "Except the Lord build the house, £ bey J labour in vain that build it."—Medical Mirror.

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE. The usual meeting of Oxford captains of boats, at the commencement of term, took place on Saturday, at Oxford. More than ordinary interest waa excited, in consequence of the recent proposal by Cambridge to exclude honour-men after a certain period, which was to be submitted to the Oxford University Boat Club at this meeting, as well as the counter address signed by the older members of the University. The preliminary business having been concluded, the gentlemen deputed to present the address were intro- duced to the President. They were Mr. Warre, of All Souls, and Mr. Burton, of Christ Church, Mr. Lons. dale, of Balliol, being unhappily prevented from at. tending. Mr. Warre, in a few happily chosen words, said that as the danger apprehended was past, it was now needless for him to remark upon the circum- stances which had prompted so striking a demonstra- tion. He should therefore present the memorial to them rather as a testimony of attachment felt by their predacessors to old ties, and of a ready and earnest desire to come forward at any time to strengthen the hands of those to whose keeping were now entrusted the honour and interest of the University they all loved so well. The memorial having been handed in, the deputation retired; and, after discussion, it was unanimously resolved to reject, courteously but firmly, the proposals made by the authorities at Cambridge. The rules will therefore stand as at present, and the challenge, which there is no reason to doubt, will be sent, as usual, by Cambridge, will be accepted on the old terms, although it appears that, with respect to the crew now in practice, no difference of opinion can arise. At the conclusion of the meeting the Univer- sity eight went down twice to Iffley and back, steered by Mr. Warre; and although not quite completed- three of the intended crew being as yet absent—per- formed satisfactorily. The waters are still over the meadows, but show symptoms of subsiding.-Sunday Gazette.

A COMFORTABLE DOCTRINE. When Dr. Livingstone was sleeping out one night, in the course of his explorations, a lion seized and shook him, with a view to further proceedings. It is not many men who can say with Miss Pecksniff that they have "lived to be shook" in such a style as this. The doctor records it as his experience that the result of this shaking was to superinduce a sort of comatose state, a feeling half of numbness, half of contented repose, in which he disregarded pain and had no con- siderable dread of the tearing of flesh and limbs which was to precede hia death. Thereupon he suggests the idea that, perhaps, the practice of shaking their prey which is observed in all feline animals, as well as in dogs and in some of the more violent fishes, is a Providential arrangement to spare the necessary victim pain. If we look into tales of death by violence, we shall see in very many cases some such prepara- tion for a comparatively easy death; easy, that is to say, as compared with the horror which the account excites in those who hear or read of them. J This would appear to be notably the case in some kinds of railway accident. The shook and jar of a col. lision has something peculiarly numbing about it. Pas- sengers who escape unhurt from such a catastrophe relate that they suddenly became conscious of something happening or being about to happen, and knew nothing more till they found themselves faced round the other way, or heels uppermost, or contorted in some of the many strange ways in which the human body is found to be contorted after accidents of this kind. There has been no blow to account for a loss of consciousness; there is no bruise to show, no out. ward injury done, and yet locomotion of a very com- plicated and difficult nature has been achieved, and a space of time has passed which cannot by any means be called instantaneous, for it has sufficed for the crash and tumult of the collision to come to an end, and the transported passenger finds himself settled and stationary. A Scotch physician, who was in a bad railway accident some years age, discovered him- self sitting at the top of the cutting in which the acoident occurred, externally unhurt, as if he could not have been thrown there; indeed, from the nature of the case he could not have been. How he had got there he had no conception; and it seemed quite certain that he bad not been carried or in any way thrown Hl9.ner7loua system was so completely ahn b Tf Searing that he never recovered from the shock. It can scarcely be doubted that had death come upon him in any form whatever during the inter- val which elapsed between his leaving the carriage and his finding himself quietly seated on the cutting many yards away from the ruined train, he would have met it without conscious suffering. And, without going through such a hazardous ordeal as this, large num- bers of persons have had experience which points in the same direction. A man who is a bad sailor, and has crossed the Channel in really dirty weather, sitting on the deck, knows what it is to be suddenly lifted, as it were, from his seat by some strange power, such as that which carried the prince and princess in the Arabian Nights backwards and forwards through the air, and deposited ever so far off in a heap, among ruinous debris of umbrella and cloak, and other impedi- ment of a sick passenger on a stormy day. At the moment of his deposit, and for some moments after, no imminence of death in any form could have much effect in rousing him even to a struggle to evade it. And much the same result follows sometimes from what the Irish call a gentle tap on the head; so that in many very horrible accidents resulting in prolonged ago- nies of death," which make every nerve of one's body quiver at the bare recital, there are great chances in favour of the victim's having received just some preparatory jerk, or shook, or blow which paralyses that part of his system to whose sensitive- ness pain is due, and so render him unable to feel the lengthened pangs. And this may very well hold in the case of those who struggle on and cry aloud in their apparent torture, even as the subject" under the surgeon's knife makes signs of pain when his nerves are under the blessed influence of anassthetics. It is a comfort to think of such things in these days when steam locomotion and steam machinery bring to so many households the horrors of a dreadful death to enhance the usual sorrow for death. And, in face of the terrible catastrophe in the Bay of Biscay, it is a great comfort to think that a similar effect is often produced, though perhaps not to so high a degree, by fatigue, by exposure to wet and cold, by prolonged and anxious doubt, feea-sickness has especially and to a very high degree, this effect, A man under its influence will constantly say, "Do with me what you will. If he were to fall overboard, he is sure he should make no effort to save himself. If he is told that the ship is sinking, the announcement has but little interest for him. In that storm in which the London went down, long before a tenth part of the passengers could have become accustomed to the motion of the vessel, we may be sare that there were many whose ordinary sufferings rendered it im. possible for them to have that keen perception of the horrors of the situation which each fresh detail brings to ua on land. And of the rest large numbers must fsVe been tired into resignation, tired by the efforts at self-preservation and the preservation 0f others they had so spiritedly and so nobly made, tired by exertions the very intentness of which precluded the possibility of much agony of anticipation while such exertions lasted. Many, again, of those whose sex or age or infirmities forced them to be somewhat inactive spectators of all that went on were doubtless only half alive to their trials. The discomforts of a vessel on which the sea was making clear breaches the numb- ness of cold and the results of exposure to wind and spray, the deafening noise of the elements and the confusion of all within the ship-all these and maty more influences would be at work to reduoe persons of a weak constitution to a half-regardless state, some time before death was known to be inevitable. -Pall. mall Gazette

♦ The Murder on the High Seas.-Thomas Pickard (mate), Henry Brown (seaman), and the cabin boy of the schooner Tamar Queen, appeared on remand before the magistrates at Plymouth on Tues- day, charged on suspicion with the manslaughter of a Portuguese seaman, temporarily employed on that vessel, who murdered the master and one of the men on the 5th of January off the Azores, as detailed in the Times of the 24th ult. It appears that the Board of Trade had made no provision for the inquiry, and as there was nojustifiation for the further detention of the men, the magistrates determined to release them on their own recognisances. Their advocate, Mr. Robert Edmonds, however, stated that, in order to relieve his clients from the slightest imputation, the owners of the schooner had determined to retain her in coasting employ, and the men would appear in the Guildhall, Plymouth, before the Bench on the 1st of March next to await any charge which might be 1 brought against them. I

FACTS AND FACETI-SB* -—♦— A man may be a fool with wit, but never with judgment. When do two and two not make four ?—When they stand for twenty-two. What frait does a newly-married couple most resemble P—A green pear. When can donkey be spelt with one letter ?—When its U. Brown wants to know whether Mr. White looks black if he changes colour. By cheerfulness half the miseries of life might assuaged. I, A Brief and Pointed Criticism.—The Rock- land Gazette, m announcing the receipt of a new work> speaks thus briefly and to the point" We have re- ceived a book entitled «Arabella, a Tale of Tender- ness.' The author is a fool." The following is the "latest:"—At a dinner of certain benchers, it is the custom to drink the toast, Wine and Woman." On a recent occasion the chftif man announced that he thought the same toast could be proposed in terms more complimentary to the pro* fession, and therefore he begged to give them—"Lush andShee!" It is impossible," said one politician to another, "to say where your party ends and the opposition party begins." "Well, sir," replied the other, "if you were riding a jackass, it would be impossible to say where the man ended and the donkey began." The Angel of Peace.—A celebrated general, ono ( day, after suffering for a long time from the prattle of a well-meaniag lady on the cruelties of war," and the coming of the Angel of Peace to all the nations," &c., remarked that he hoped when the Angel oi Peace" did come to all the nations, she would com0 with two wings—one of infantry and the other of cavalry! i Matrimony.—An old Duteh tavern-keeper had his third wife, and being asked for his views oD matrimony, replied, Veil, den, you see, de first I marries for love—dat wash goot: den I marries foJ j beauty—dat wash goot too; but dis time I marries fo1 monish—and dis is petter as both! Supercilious Major to Cornet Easy "Aw! wb^ j was your father P" C. E.: "Oh, dad! he was a toba^' conist, he was."—S. M.: Aw, well! it's a pity he i 5?' yon one." C. E.: "Shouldn't wonder: but* Major, may I ask you a question?"—S. M.: "Get' »ai?yi^afcisit?" C.E.: "What was your father?" My father was a gentleman, sir," replied S. M»"" C. E.; Aw, weally! well, it is a deuced pity he dido''1 make yon one. During the stormy days of 183S two stalwart mobocrats entered the bank of the late Baron Ansel01 Rothschild, at Frankfort. "You have millions 0° millions," said they to him, and we have nothing' You must divide with us." "Very well," said the Baron; what do you suppose the firm of Rothschild is worth?" "About forty millions of florins," tho? replied. "Forty millions, you think, eh?" said banker._ "Now, then, there are forty millions of people in Germany; that will be a florin Here's yours." The following epitaph is from a tablet in the north wall of Brent Pelh&m Church, Herts -.— "0. Piers Shonks, Who died Anno 1086. j Tantum fama manet Oadmi sanctique Georgi Posthuma, tempus edax ossa sepulera vorat. ( Hoc tamen in muro tutus, qui perdidit anguem, > Invito positus Doemone Shonkus erat." Which may be thus translatedj Nothing ef Cadmus nor St. George, those names Ot great renown, survives them but their fames; Time was not so sharp set, as to make no bones Of theirs, nor of their monumental stones. But Shonke one serpent kills, t'other defies, And in this wall as in a fortress lies." The following poem, in undress, ia supposed to be the production of a member of the "army and news- paper correspondents" who have invaded Ottawa since the removal thither of the Government, it having been picked up in the vicinity of his lodgings* j Topics certainly must have been exhausted. Th0 author, doubtless, is destined to become the Words- worth of Canada:—" Whence did the cruel custom come that has of late set in, of wearing birds o° women's hats, impaled upon a pin ? The practice ig profoundly vain, between myself and you, to murder thus a male blackbird, and very cruel, too. A single feather once sufficed to deck a lady's bonnet: tbe» next a wing—the whole biid now must be set up it. I met a damsel in the street; my soul began to quake; a glorious blackbird was stuck up, upon 'wide awake.' Says I, 'Relentless, cruel wretch, down that bird of Bong;' says she, He oan't be tired yet—he's not been roosting long!' Impromptus.—Burns, going into church one Sunday and finding it difficult to procure a seat, kindly mvited by a young lady into her pew. The sermon being upon_ the terrors of the law, and the preacher being particularly severe in his denunciation of sinners, the lady, who was very attentive, became w!™ ii ^raS| 011 P0r°eiving it, wrote with his penoil on a blank leaf of her Bible, the following Fair maid, you need not take the hint, Nor idle texts pursue; 'Twas only sinners that he meant, I Not angels such as .you. After Burke had finished his extraordinary speech < against Warren Hastings, the latter (according to his private secretary, Mr. Evans) wrote the following sarcastic impromptu Oft have we wondered that on Irish ground No poisonous reptile ever yet was found; The secret stands revealed in Nature's work- She saved her venom to create a Burke i Dr. Johnson's definition of a note of admiration (!) made on the moment, is very neat— I see—I see-I know not what: I see a dash above a dot, 1resenting to my contemplation A perfect point of admiration! The following Italian proverb about womankind popular among certain wretched bachelors south and north of the Alps (' Lazy, if tall; Cross-grained,if small; If handsome, vain; Shocking if plain. ♦ ■

A Brigands' Cave.-Another brigands' cave has H been discovered at Cagliano (Calabria), near the house ■ of an old peasant. This man s premises were searched, ■ but the inmates—consisting of himself, wife, and ft ■ young girl-denied all knowledge of the men of whom ■ the Royal troops were in search. The officer in com- mand observing, however, that the girl always re- mained close to a large stone near a door leading into the garden, ordered the soldiers to examine it. This stone, upon being removed, discovered the mouth of a cave, and a discharge of musketry from those con- cealed within drew all the detachment to the spot. The brigands within-for such they were-resisted for ;lme> driven forth by burning sulphur ap- plied to the mouth of the cave. The brigands cap- ™*red t included the chief Corea and his companion tured t included the chief Corea and his companion RO-laria Mancuso, and the brigands Dardano and Tra- Passo. Corea and Trapasso, both guilty of a long list ox crimes, including several assassinations, were tried towards the end of December. The former frankly confessed the crimes of which he was accused, while Trapasso, not being able to offer a denial, endeavoured to excuse himself. Sentence of death was passed upon > them, and carried into effect on the following day. ( The woman Mancuso was condemned to twenty years' hard labour. Dardano's trial was deferred. The Ladies of Paris and the Freedmen in America. I he meetin g organised by the association of French ladies for sending help to the freed people of America took place, as announced, in the Salle Herz. The chair was occupied by M. Laboulaye, who, in an eloquent opening address, gave a short sketch of the formation of the society. He spoke of the French ladies as excited to take the initiative in some work by the example of their sisters in England and America, and, judging from the result, he thought their debut was not unsuccessful. After alluding to the perfectly unsectarian character of the association, he mentioned that since its formation in April last ten cases, con- taining 5,332 articles of clothing, valued at 27.969fr ( and 27,466fr. in money, had been sent by the com. mittee—making in all 54,935fr. Among the other speakers were the Rev. M. Grandpierre and the Rev. M. Dhombres, pastors of the Reformed Church of II France; Prince de Broglie, and M. Cochin. The last- named gentleman gave a most interesting account of the progress of emancipation in Caba. The sale of the tickets and the collection at the close of the meeting amounted to nearly 3,000fr.