Untitled

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 11, 16 December 1862, Page 2

The f llowing horrible paragraph is going the round of the papers ; it purports to be extracted from a " Continental journal," but no name is driven, and we nee* hirdly express our opinion that the alleged facts are mere fabrications: — " When at the ond of the last century the terrible machine of Dr. Guillotin made its appearance, it gave rise to great controversy among the faculty throughout Europe The inventor pretended or helieve ' that death by his instrument was easier than by any other means, and that the vertebrae, the nerves, and all the organs of the head, killed the whole body at once, and instautane* ily. Several experiments were made at Viennn. Some poisoners were to be executed, and several celebrated medical men, who had already disputed the correctness of the statement of Dr. Guillotin, obtained permission to remain on the scaffold during the execution, and when a head had been cut off it was handed to them. The first was that of a young man. The eyes were closed and the tongue protruded; Eight minutes were allowed to expire, when the tongue was pricked with a pin, when it was drawn in, and the face made a grimace indicative of pain. The second head was that of a woman. The eyes were open, and their supplicating looks were accompanied by abundant tears. Fourteen minutes after the execution the eyes turned towards the side from whence the woman's name was called. The third head was that of the most guitly of the criminals. A slap was given to the face, when the eyes opened, the face flushed with an indiscribable expression of ar>gpr and ferocity, and a shudder of anguish was Tisible on the neck being touched."

Novel Wat ot Destroying Rats. — Take a barrel — say a flour or herring barrel — and fill it about one third its height with witter. Put a bit of wood, a foot long: and ten or 12 inches in diameter, into the water, so that the end of it will just rise above th? surface. Make the lid or cover of the barrel a little too small to fit and suspend it by two pins to the inside of the top ot the barrel, so that it will hang as if on a Divot, and easily tip dy touching either ride. On the lid tlius suspended secure a piece of savoury meat. The first rat that scents it, to fret the meat will leap on the barrel Cover. The lid will tip or tilt, pnd down tho fellow will go into the water, and the lid will resume its position. The rat iv tho water will twiin to the log, get on the top, and squall most vociferously. JUis cries will bring other rats, all of which will be tilted inlo the water, and all will be fighting for the only dry spoto'i it, namely, the end of the log. As only one rat can bold it, the victor will drown all tho rest, and in the morning can be drowned himself. More than thirty rata have been caught in one night by this trick.— Correspondent of Belfast Letttr.