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New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 553, 21 August 1865, Page 5

Death ebom Hydbophobia.—A fearful death from hydrophobia is related in the Memorial de la Loirs which happened at Montaud to a boy eight years of age. He was bitten in the ear about a month ago r»y a dog belonging to the family. Some days afterwards thi animal disappeared from the hou-e, and a dog in the vicinity having been found in a ra'-id state, fei»ra began to be entertained about the child, who was placed under the care of a quack, who pretended to have a remedy for the disease. Four weeks after the boy was in his turn seized with majness, and died in frightful convulsions. Decuease of Mortality in Pabis.—Official reports recently published show that the mortality is decreasing in Paris, according as large sewers are constructed and wide streets run through the narrow overcrowded quarters of the old city. On making a minute search into the records of Paris, it has been discovered that at the commencement of the 18th century, from the year 1709 to 1719, under Louiß XlV.,"the mortality was lin 28; and under Louis XV., from 1752 to 1762, it was still lin 13 inhabitants. From 183 Cto 1841, it was lin36 ;in 1546, 1 in 37 ; in 1841, 1 in 38 ; in 1856, 1 in 39 ; and at the present time it is 1 in -10 inhabitants. Bi bied Alive. —A strango event has just occurred at a village near Saumur (Maino-et-Loire). An old man named Grangtreau, was interred some days back without any certificate of his decease having been given by a physicii.n, as required by law. After the funeral service ha<l been read, the sexton began to fill up the grave, but was startled by hearing a rapping noise, which he thought proceeded from the coffin. He listen attentively and was convinced that his ears had not deceived him ; a woman who was praying at a grave close by also heard tho noise The sexton ran to inform the mayor and the cure, but the former was absent, nnd the latter merely referred him to the family of the deceased. Nothing was, however, dono to ascertain whether the poor man was really alive or not, and the grave was filled up. Rumours Boon got abroad that Grangereau had been buried alive, and when they came to the knowledge of the Procureur Imperial of Saumur, he instantly proceeded to tho vi laie to ins'itute an enquiry, the result of which is not yet known, Miracl-lols.—" Suppo-e you were to see the sun rising in the middle of the night, whu would you call that?" said a tcacher to a plough-boy pupil, whom he was examining on " Miracles." —" The mune, please, sir."—" But suppose you knew it was r.ot the moon, but the sun, and that you saw it actually rise in tho middle of the night, what should you think r"—" Please, sir, I should think it was time to get up!" Theatiiicai s ik the Far West.—ANevadapaper ! escribes a scene in a theatre in Virginia City, where the performances of two act esses were so well liked that t e audience rattled down upon the stage a -hower of gold and silver pieces. The actresses picked up 5'147 from the beorls. Even the male performers were not slighted. 1 hey picked up halves and quarters to the am 'unt of from S3 to SO each to say not-tMneofjuc?-knives, pocket-coi bs and tooth picks Tha voung ladies were >-o ofuin fo ced to return to gather lie s lver showers that they appeared several timoo on the point of giving it up. One of them, having finished gathering a bountiful harvest of halves, was •naking u lusty retreat from the stage, when thero suddenly fell about her such a glittering and overwhelming shower of silver that, in despair, she Bat down and covered her face with her hands. Tho pockets of another gave out, and a totrent of silver rolled about the floor in every direction. Breach of Promi-e.—One of those cases so interesting, and profitable to the gentleman of the long robe, and usually styled " breach of promise" is likely to come on at the next civil sittings of tha Supreme Court. The parties are both " old colonists," and the case is said to be of a more than ordinary interesting character. Ttie damages are laid at £2,000.-1/". T. Mercury. Bunvan in Pkison.—Mr. Punch, cn a late vi.-it to our colonial picture gallery, was looking with some interest at tho painting titled " Bunyan ia Prison," when his attention was attracted by a sigh, which proceeded from a fashionably-dressed young gentleman, who was evidently suffering from tight boots. On Mr. Punch inquiring, with his usual kindness, what was the matter, the individual alluded to replied, with a meaning glance at his own boot, that " bunion in prison" was a painful matter to him. Amehicav Advertising Extraobdinaey.—A new book, by the author of (not to help the advertisement", further information witheld) is thus announced in a late number of the " American Published' Circular" The most stupendous work since the Flood, 3,427, 918,615 copies ordered in advance. Publication neccessarily postponed until 12 o'clock a.m. Monday, January Ist, I'JfiS. With profound emotion the publishers aunounce that the overwhelming number of orders (the raising the monoy [ to pay the postage of which has doubtless created the present panic in moneyed circles) already received for this new book, absolutely compels tha postponement of its publication lor a century. Meanwhile, they beg to assure the public that thoy are sparing no pains tc insure a full supply at that time, notwithstanding the large demand. 'Ihey have contracted for the immediate building of 50,000 power presses, and have effected a lease ofthe wollknown Niagara Falls to furuish power for running them. Bv working these presses thirty-six hours a day, not excepting Sundays and " 4th ot Julys (this being evidently a case of necessity), they hops after a century's start, to keep up with the demand. How iiiif.s" it Pay r—"Leon Gozlan said one evening in the greenroom of the '1 heatre I< rancaia, that being perpK-xed at seeing the Italian imago.sellers eteririllv hawking their tray of statuettes OB their heads" through "the streets without a human creature ever appearing to bargain for any, he asked one of those vendors if ho had exercised the profession <>ni£. * '.Thirty V'ur.s,* replied the mail. * And did * Oliver,' continued Mr Gozlan, 'happen to sell one .f your figures 'Never, sir.' Gozlan reflected vnne time on the strangeness of the answer, and then said, ' Alv good man, do me the tavour to tea ms *liy you'htive been walking about for tho last thirty years with that load on your h-ad. Is it in obedienM to a vow vou made —' No sir, certainly not; it if t , .ret mv living—that is the only reason. — But voS sav you never sell anyth ng.'-' I "ever «ell anything, 'it'is true,' returned tho man ; but there art so m'inv clumsy people in tho world, that a daj never passes without some ono running against me and upsetting my board, and a crowd collects and makes the pe.son pay fur them." , ~ , The Se l of the Confessional.—llusseal, whicn has recently been exhibited at the British Ecclesiastics] Museum, is a cerious work of art. On the reverse side is an enormous earwig under a ros,> (emblem o: aocresy) surmounted by the terse legend engrared ii Church-band, " Trust Me." On the reverse side i an Hibernian-looking head, encircled by tho apposit motto, '* Who Breaks—l'ays." 'lhe Seal, we undor stand, w:>s designed in Rome, where it is looked upoi by connoisseurs as an article of vertu. To our simpl sight it appears antiquated in style, and quite unsuitw to the hnglish climate rtomo minds of a high orde conies- that this sort of Seal has for them a mysteriou charm, but we gravely doubt whether any good im pression ctm bo made by those delica'e instrument that will not beav exposure to the light.—iV;:cA.