ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3512, 17 October 1868, Page 5

ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

THE ORDER OT POKBSTIBS. In high court meeting «f the Ancient Order of Foresters has been held in Wolverhamptoh. The fanmber of delegates who Had received credentials to ULe tutting was 835. The demonstration which always takes place upon the first day, this year far outdid anything of the kind previously attempted. It is computed that about 4,000 people took part in the procession, and that the number of peopU abroad in the streets to witness it were only a few thousands Wider the immense throne which assembled in this Black Country capital on the memorable occasion of the Queen's visit to it. At the sitting of the high court, which was attended oy nearly 300 delegates, and presided over by H. O. R. Burghope, the investigation committee and the audit committee both presented their report. The former announced the continued prosperity of the society during the year. In that time 128 new courts had been opened. Amongst the places where the order has started for the first time were mentioned Westland, in the state of Massachusetts (North America), Gibraltar, and Edinburgh ; whilst four new districts had been formed, including New York tad Brooklyn, in the United States, and Wellington, in New Zealand. From a statement prepared by the F.S., Mr. Shawcross, we extract the following :— " To give the most correct information possible, great pains were taken to procure the returns as complete and accurate as w« could, and perhaps it may be said that the returns for 1867 were got in better than in any previous year. There is still, however, much room for improvement in the making of returns. On the Ist of December, 1867, there were in Great Britain and Ireland 217 districts, 3,476 courts, with 321,291 members; and in the colonies 14 districts, 244 Courts, and 15,500 members ; making a total for the whole order of 231 districts, 3,720 courts, and 336,791 members, an increase on the year of two districts, 111 conrts, and 15,538 members."

DRIASrUL MTTRDIR 07 A MOTHER. Cauravaieen, a place distant about two miles from Clonakilty, hat been the scene of a tragical event. A widow in good circumstances, named McCarthy, engaged in her houiehold avocation, heard her son Patriok, whoie mind has been un.-ound for the l&it eighteen months, having an altercation with his litter. At first she paid no attention until she heard him inquiring wher* the hatchet was kept. At the mention of th» weapon the Bister immediately fled from the house. The mother, not having the least suspicion, pointed out to him where the hatchet Was, and in less time than it takes to relate he had given the mother snoh a severe blow in the neck as almost severed the head from the body. An old woman, who happened to be employed in the house spinning flax, sat horrified and transfixed to her seat, expecting to be despatched in the same manner by the maniac. Not content with killing his unfortunate parent, he seized the body and dragged it into the 7ard, and thera gare her two blows on the skull, Completely fracturing it, and scattering the brains in all directions. After committing the dreadful deed the man left the house and ran off towards the sea, which is about a mile from the place, crying out on the way, " Oh, I have killed my mother !" He was about to throw himself into the water, when he was caught by some men and prevented from accomplishing his design. They kept him in custody until the arrival of the police. He was at once brought to town and lodged in Bridewell. He is a powerfullooking young man, about twenty-five years of age, and the second son of the widow — Cork Examiner.

tarn ACOTDINT AT MAivOHBSTJtB. A terrible accident occurred on Friday night, Julj SI, at Manchester, by which some five-and-twenty persons lost their lives. The scene of the accident Was a music-hall in Victoria-street, frequented by the lower classes, and known as "Ben Lang's." A benefit performance was announced to come off, and the attendance was very large. Whilst the performance was going on, a number of boys who were in the pit stood up on the benches, and to save themselves from falling they laid hold of a gas pendant. The weight upon the pendant moved it from its place, and led to an escape of gas. So soon as the smell of Sm spread, the cry of "Fire !" was raised. A panic en seized upon the audience, and a simultaneous rush was made to the staircase, which gave way, and a number of persona were precipitated to the stone floor at the bottom. No fewer than 25 were taken up dead. They were mostly young men, apparently factory operative!, and one has since died. A number more were injured considerably, and 13 of them were carried to the Royal Infirmary. Eleven of these injured persons were males and two females. A number of young men made an extraordinary •scape from the building. At the back of the topmost gallery, and overlooking the river, at an elevation of 80 feet, was a small window. Several youne; men, maddened by the belief that escape below was cut off by fire, ran to this window and broke it. Fifteen feet below them was the slated roof of a house, one side of which sloped at a fearful angle to the river, and the other looked towards other and lower roofs, on which a safe footing could be had, while at the corner of the lowest there rote a long ladder, which had been placed there by some workmen. The prospect of •scape which this presented was speedily availed of. It was found that a small chimney was standing just below the window, and the frantic fellows sprang from the window in succession ,dpon the top of this chimney, fchence on to the roof, and along the lower roofs to the ladder, by which they reached the ground. The chimney, which was old and tottering, speedily fell to pieces, and the last of the crowd sprang clear from the window on to the roof, through which the impetus of the fall carried him, and he finally landed upon the floor of a garret. Had any one of the number who escaped by that means missed his footing and fallen on to the other side of the roof ridge, nothing could have preyented him from falling sheer down into the Irwell. That none did so fall is moat extraordinary considering the haste with which the perilous adventure was achieved, and the fact that there was only the moonlight to guide them.

DfATH OF X COURT BOG. The great event of the day it the death of Nero, to whom funeral honours have been accorded. Some may feel puzzled to knoir who Nero was. H* wm only the Emperor's English setter. But how much is implied in that "only !" A whole life passed in the full sunshine of majesty, and a familiarity with an Emperor that princes enried. Nero alone dared convey unpleasant news to Caesar. When a Secretary or Chamberlain wanted to communicate some painful tidings, the missive containing it was confided to Nero's mouth, and the dog, wagging his tail, laid it on the Emperor's knee. The Empress waa jealous of this qnadruped, who was trained to growl whenever she came into the Emperor's Cabinet. She relentlessly excluded him from her apartments; but tha Emperor's affection could not be shaken. Whether attended or not by aid«s-de-camp, or noble equerries, he was always in his country walks accompanied by the setter, whose honast noble countenance is immortalised in a marble Siuup representing Nero and the Prince Imperial, by arpaux. Peace to his ashes ! He sleeps now in a corner of the reserved garden of the Tuileries. His death deeply affected his master, who knew enough of oourtiers to prize his fidelity. The Emperor, when he saw that his faithful companion was no more, put off the Ministerial Council and sent word to the Empress that he felt too bad to appear at her soiree dansante. Sovereigns are, as a general rule, fonder of dogs than are private individuals. Queen Victoria has a passion for them. The Emperor Alexander puts his Newfoundland to sleep at the foot of his bed. We all know the origin of the King Charles name, and the Mops dog in our day takes the place at Courts which is occupied by the baby in private households.

smcwx or ax xzeootionxb. Stratser, the old executioner at Pesth, has committed suicide in his seventieth year. It wu he who assassinated the heroic Hungarians, by order of the cowardly Haynan and other infamous Austrian f tnsrali. H« always felt remorse since 1849, and the reading of Sauson's memoirs made such an impression upon his mind that he pot an end to his miserable existence. He often wonld talk of the April tragedy, when be strangled the nine Hungarian heroes ; and described then with glowing ardour the coolness with which the rictims of the Hapiburgs mat their fate* He always closed these narratives by exclaiming, "They [the Hapsburgs] are responsible for it I They are responsible for it !"

BXAIISKD MFOSSIBIUTCIS. In 1851 !tbe London Punch humorously gave » list of thing* " impossible to be realised." Among them were the following : "The unity of Germany, from Prussia;" "The freedom of the press, from Austria or Italy ;" "The abolition of serfdom, from Russia;" "The emancipation of(a slave, from the United States." Everyone thought Punch had made » very safe list, and yet, in less than twenty years' time, everyone of these impossibilities has become' a reality, " Impossible" sbonld evidently find no place in Punch's or any other man's dictionary.

xvcDiiyj} m 3867. A book bai just been published under the title "Two Thousand Te»n Hence." It is supposed to b» » collection of letters written in the ye»r 3867 by William Bobinion, Governor of Old London, to ProfHor Smith of the Dniyomty of Auokl*nd.