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Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1188, 26 January 1864, Page 5

A Bov Attacked by Rats.—On Saturday noon last, an attack was made by three rats on a youth named Gerval, residing near Redruth, Cornwall. It appears that the lad, who is about fifteen years of age, was in a dilapidated old barn, eating some bread and beef, wlien a large rat ran up his back and attempted to seize the food which he was putting in his mouth. lie seized it by the throat, and before lie had strangled it two others came to the rescue and commenced a determined attack upon him. They bit his face in two places, and attempted to bite through the clothing which protected his shoulder. If a man had not happened to visit the building while the contest was going on, the injuries to the youth, who acted with great self-possession, would undoubtedly have been very serious. It was with great difficulty that the rats were ui<lde to retreat.—t'imqs. 12th Oct.

A llklic of Old London. —A relic of Old London is now fast disappearing—the Blue Boar Inn—or the George and Blue Boar, as it came to be called later, in Holborn. For more than 200 years this was one of the famous coaching houses, whence stages went to, and where they arrived from, the north and midland counties. It is more famous still as being the scene—if Lord Orrery's chaplain, Morrice, may be credited, where Cromwell and Ireton, disguised as troopers, cut from the saddle flap of .a messenger a letter which they knew to be there, from Charles the First to Henrietta Maria. They had previously intercepted a letter from the Queen to her husband, in which she reproached him for entering into a compact of reconciliation with Cromwell and his party. The letter was sent on, and now they intercepted the reply, in which Charles spoke of them as rogues whom he would, by and by, hang instead of reward. According to Morrice, this sealed the Icing's fate. Sucli is the legend connected with the Blue Boar, Holborn, which is described, in Queen Anne's reign, as " situate opposite ' Southampton Square.' " —Athenaum.