FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1885.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3436, 2 October 1885, Page 4

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1885.

The electoral campaign seems to be fairly started m the United Kingdom. The " big guns" have commenced their oratorical salutes, and the country will speedily be reverberating from end to end with parliamentary thunder from the heavy metal, and crackling volleys from the " small bores" — small m calibre, but terrible m their power of infliction. The most curious feature about the campaign is that each party, instead of fighting m a solid phalanx, is disunited, and inclined to straggle. The Conservatives are much exercised by the audacity of Lord Randolph Churchill, especially as evidenced m his attempt to win over the Parnellites on pretty much their own terms. On the other hand, there is Mr Joseph Chamberlain unfurling a flag which Lord Hartington recoils from m horror as the standard of out-and-out Socialism, while Mr Gladstone, as usual, tries to steer a middle course. As far as one can judge from present appearances, even with his nnrivalled tact it will be difficult to keep his followers from falling out. Some of the reforms for which Mr Chamberlain is agitating, and the mention of which carries such dismay into the hearts of the Whigs, will probably not be regarded as so very alarming m the colonies, where they have been m active operation for some time. Free education is one point on which the hon. member lays particular stress. Like some of our own statesmen, he is also anxious for an extension of local self-government, and it is to be hoped that when he brings his views before the House of Commons he will not make such a precious muddle of it as they did m their famous measure. He is also m favor of a readjustment of the incidence of taxation. At first he advocated a graduated income tax, increasing m amount m proportion as the incomes became higher. For instance, if a man bad an income of £1000 a year he might be let off with a tax of 6d m the £, whereas if he bad £10,000 a year, the State would compel bim to pay an income tax of say Is m the £. Mr Goschen took up the cudgels against this proposal, which he argued would be attended by great evils m actual operation, and he dwelt on the fact that it had been condemned ■with especial vehemence by " the greatest of living financiers, Mr Gladstone." This gave the hon. member for Birmingham the opportunity of being a little sarcastic m his reply. "It is a very singular thing," he said, " that Mr Goschen is so ready to quote Mr Gladstone against me, although he does not pay much attention to him m other matteva." The Bally was received with a burst of laughter, but at the same time it embodied a good deal of truth and points to another of the difficulties with which the leader of the Opposition has to contend. Mr Chamberlain, bowever, deemed it expedient to drop his graduated income tax, contenting himself with the general declaration that there should be " graduated taxation," against which he said Mr Gladstone had never expressed an opinion. He admitted that the Liberal leader had condemned " differentiated taxation " — which means taxation varied according to the character of the income — but he (Mr Chamberlain) believed that he had never opposed " graduated taxation," that is, taxation varied according to the amount of property taken. It might take the form, Mr Chamberlain suggested, of a graduated death -tax or house-tax, but that there ought to be some form of graduation he was firmly convinced. Of course the member for Birmingham was eloquent on the subject of land reform. Most of the proposals which he thought would solve the difficulty are already m operation m this colony, and yet the cry of " land monopoly " is continually being raised. There should, he said, be free trade m land, which term included the registration of titles, the cheapening of transfer, the abolition of settlements and entails, and the custom of primogeniture m cases of intestacy. Further, the hon. gentleman was m favor of another reform not yet applicable to our circumstances, namely, " a fair rent fixed by an impartial tribunal, with the right of free sale of the goodwill of his undertaking, just the same as any other trader." Such a provision is not applicable to this colony, because, as a rule, farmers do not rent their land, but own it. As the concession has been made to Irish tenants, however, it is not likely that its extension to the farmers of Great Britain will be very long delayed. Furthermore MrChamberlain would compel land-owners to provide decent cottages and fair allotments at reasonable rents and with security of tenure for the benefit of the laborers. He would give to local authorities power to acquire land on their own behalf and to let it out m allotments for laborers and small farmers. Lastly, he would revise the tnxation upon land, nnd insist upon " the restitution of the property of the community where it baa been wrongfully appropriated." He would insist upen the restitution of the endowments which have been diverted to improper uses, of enclosures which have been illegally made, and of rights which have been improperly disregarded and ignored. Tim, the author modestly observes, is not a long programme. In the eyes of the moderate party at Home, however, it is looked upon as at any rate pretty sweeping for a beginning. It goes a good deal further than Mr Gladstone's manifesto. Mr Chamberlain declares he will entor no Ministry which will not give effect to his policy. Whether

any farther effort will be made to meet I him half-way remainß to be seen. One fact is clearly evident, and that is that politics m England are entirely losing their old characteristic of being separated by a hard and fast line, so that when a man said he was a Conservative or a Liberal one knew exactly what he meant. If parties get split up very much more we shall soon have them m as complicated and unsatisfactory a condition m the United Kingdom as they have lately presented m New Zealand. We only hope that the Home Parliament will never so far sink its dignity and good sense as to embark on a wild and discreditable career of of " keeping Ministers m and their measures out." That would indeed be a terrible humiliation for the old country to fall into. "VVe have little fear, however, that thinga will ever come to such a pass. Parties may get into a complicated condition, but at any rate English Ministers of State are not likely to lose an Englishman's selfrespect.

Boatiitg Clitb. — The annual general meeting of the Timaru Boating Club will be held m the Assembly Booms on the Bth inst. Kestdent Magistbatb's Court, Timaru, — At this Court yesterday, His Worship the Mayor fined Joseph Barnes 10j, and costs, for drunkenness. Barnes is an old offender. Acknowledgment. — Mr Thomas Jowsey, Steward of the Timaru Hospital, begs to tender his thanks to Mr Lewis, gardener, nnd Mr Smith, seedsman, for a choice assortment of roses, presented by them to the Hospital. Waimatb HosriTAX. — Two members of the Hospital Committee, Messr3 Manchester and Hayes, were present to open and consider tenders for supplies to this Hospital for tho next six months. The tenders of Mr L. Price for groceries, Mr Bickman for meat, Mr T. Hore for firewood, and Messrs Patrick and Gibson for bread were accepted. Unclaimed Lbttbbs. — The following is a list of loiters from places beyond the colony received at the Post Office, Timaru, during the month of July, 1885, and unclaimed on the 30th September, 1885 : —Mr Arras (farmer), John Gudin, Andw. Gingles (2), John Gordon, E. J. Knowley, Miss Mercy Minlern, J. Tasker, G-. Tasker, E. Wickman, Hy. Wilson. District Cotjbt. — A special sitting of the District Court is to be held this morniDp, before Hia Honor Judge Ward. Tho civil case Honsen v. Sanderson, which has been before the Court now for two sittings, will be resumed, when the respective counsel engaged m it will give their addressee The case is expected to conclude before this evening. A few bankruptcy cases will also be dealt with. Intebcoloniai Wbatheb Exchange.— New Zealand — Tolerably fine weather, though overcast, generally ; fresh breeze and rough sea on the West Coa3t. Australia — Slight depression to the south of Tasmania ; windf chiefly westerly ; showery m the South and overcast at other places. Burometers : Nen Zealand —At Kussell, 30.0 ; Wellington 29.7; Bluff, 29.5. Australia— At Albany 30.1 ; Hobart, 29.8 ; Portland, 30.0 ; Sydney, 30.3. TBIAL3 OF THE NEW ZbAXAND FABMEB — During the hearing of a case m tiio Wei lington Compensation Court recently, we learn from the iVeio Zealand Times, hi; Honor Judge Bichniond incidentally re marked that tho New Zealand farmer had t good deal more to contend with now-a-day; than formerly. "There are 70,000,000 o! sheep m tho Argentine Republic," remirked his Honor. "The latest returns show thai there are nearly 100,000,000," said Mr Travera " Then what is to become of us," pathetically asked Mr Stafford, "-with our small numbci of sheep, and our very large debt?" The Wbatiibb at Waihate. — Our correspondent, writing yesterday, says:— Thi weather during nearly the whole of lasl month has been rery dry, with frequenl strong gales of wind, shifting from the nor'we*t to the sou-west, and vies versa. Vege tation, unless m sheltered situations, is backwurd for tho season, and the influence of the dry, cutting winds haa had a retarding effect on the growth of grass m the pasture lands, so much so that much loss has been experienced by farmers and graziers from deterioration m the condition of sheep and cattle. On the lighter class of lands many young lambs havo died, Die dams being unable to supply sufficient nourishment. The young wheat nas mado very little progress during the last month, no doubt owing to the lonj prevalence of dry weather. Ruin is now very much needed throughout the County. Bather Too Dbab.— At the Board ol Education meeting yesterday a deputation requested that a caretaker's house should b< erected on a certain school ground, anc among tho chief reasons urged for this course «-aa ono to tho offoct that it had proved quite impossible to keep a ton of coat from disappearing through some unseen and undetected agency. One practical member ol tho Board expressed aurpriso that among sc many able men on tho School Committee not one could be found to devise some means of fastening the coal up so that it would not vanish m other than tho legitimate way, and added that it would bo rather a bad investment for tho Board to spend £300 or £400 on it house for tho purpose of keeping safe a ton of coals ! The deputation, it is almost needless to add, did not join m the hilarity that followed this, remark j probably the problem was too complex for them. LABBlxriflßM. — The much-vexed question of lamkinism cropped up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday morning, m the course, of a discussion on tho Timaru Side School. It is stated this school has been damaged very considerably lately, not only windows being smashod, but Bash-burs as well, and that this damago is done by larrikins some time during tho night or m the early morning. It was suggested that tho Inspector of Police should be requested to try tho experiment of placing a constable on duty at tho school, but this suggestion was entirely forgotten when a member remarked — " employ a man and give him so much a head for every larrikin lie catches and severely birches." A few seconds of profound thought, however, convinced tho Board that this course would not do ; two might play at this game, and funds would not then stand tho drain on them. Tho Side School larrikin, neverthe less, had bettor— as tho vulgar saying is — " koop his eye lifting " next time ho has occasion to visit the school-houso on his mission of destruction. Captain Sutte* Tmmobtalisbd. — Proso has been inadequate to express the feelings of tho West Coasters m regard to Captain Slitter's parliamentary criticism of their proclivities. At the Hokitika Benevolent Society's entertainment on tho evening of September 26th a poetical address was rend, m which occurred the following lines : — You've read, of courso, the nonsense and the spluttor Of that queer legislator — Captain Suiter, Who says it is our destiny and fate To be all beggars — paupers of the State, And onds along and wondrous wild oration By coupling " Goldfields " with tho word " starvation ;" But lot him pass, and trust our name and honor To Bichard John, to Bovan, and to Bonar. These three aro ablo, without any flutter, To settle our defamor — Captain Suttcr, Whose namo I mention motcly this to say Thnt should ho ever trust himself this way Hoil find all his strango notions are mistaken And to tho truth lio'll muldenly awaken. That truth is this : that on tho wild West Coast Tho people are as well-to-do as most ; Not vory rich, perhaps, and yet not poor. At every homo ho'U find an open Hoor j Ho'll find a people generous and kind, To frailties loniont and to failings blind, And over ready, whercsoo'er they be, To answer to tho call of Charity. TBAonEBS Salaries. — The Committeo appointed by tho Board of Education to deal with the Board's staff and tho salaries (rivon them, handed m their report at tho meeting yesterday. Tho report is a very valuable one. It will bo printed nnd distributed among tho teachers as soon as possible, and it is fixed that the new scale of salaries will come into fores on January Ist, 1886.

Voiuhtubsiho*— The dates of the Govern- \ t ment parades of the Timaru corps for * October will be found m our advertising t columna. c Imeobtant Sales.— Mewrs Jonas and t Bourn draw special attention to their stock ( sale at Pleasant Point on Monday, and to i theirsale of the thoroughbred entire Holly- ; wood to-morrow. BEQUEST TO THE WE3LBYAN CHURCH.— The late Mr Thomas Emsley, of Burnlee, Leeds, lias bequeathed £3roo to the Wesleyan Church of .New Zealand. This makes considerably over £20,000 bestowed by him on different missionary or benevolent undertakings. Thompson's Diobama. — Thompson's Diorama of the Zulu War was exhibited a second time at the Theatre Royal last night. The lower part of the houso was well filled, but upstairs the attendance was limited. No doubt the moderate attendance was owing to the very inclement state of tho weather. There will be a complete change of programme this evening. Fouo Childbrn at a Bibth. — Three years ago a family of the name of Barnett left Coupar-Angus for a home m the Far West, where tl ey settled on » farm near Waverley, Dakota. Information has just reached their friends m Scotland that Mrs Uarnctt, on the 3rd of July, gave birth to four children — two boys and two girls — and that the interesting strangers and their mother are all thriving amazingly. Patti Divorced. — Madame Patti has been duly divorced from the Marquis do Caui at Paris. After the ceremony, which took barely 20 minutes, a collection for tho poor was mude, and it so happened that the divorced marquis had mielaid or forgotten his purse, when, witli great grace, Madame Patli stepped forwaid and offered her lust 20-franc ■liece. Subsequently a dinner was served for the witnesses, tl c lawyer, the lady heroine, M. Jiicolini and his children (one a son of 24). By the law of France a divorced lady must wait ten mouths before she can remarry, bo tho wedding cannot take place till May 16th, 1886. A Boy's Fbbak — A boy uaraed Edge, not more than ten years of age, was ordered to receive ten strokes with a buvh rod at Chester recently for an extraordinary freak. Seeing a train approaching, the boy ran off the embankment to stop it. He stood directly m the centre of the track, wildly moving his arms, and taking absolutely no notice of the whistle. When close v; on him tho driver applied the vacnum brake and brought the train to a standstill, when only eight yards off. Tho lad then ran away, laughing m response to a lump of coal whicli tho driver was compelled to pitch at him. LadyCricketeks. — Cricket for girls seems to have taken a firm hold m Kngland. Uy the mail we read news of a recent mVehiu whicli " Miss Leslie spanked Misa Hibbert hard for 2." " Leg before wicket," we are told, is notacknowledgod. It is called " frock before wicket," and its consequences are speedily dealt with by the umpire. A curious cricket match was played at Bayham Abbey between eleven ladies and eleven gentlemen, who plied broomsticks m place of bats. The ladies were victorious by 12 runß. Among them the Marchioness of Camden, the Indies Rose, Violet, and Idina Neville, and Lady Clementina Pratt particularly distinguished themselves. What is A "Plaid"?— The English tourist m Scotland (says an exchange) dons | the plaid as soon as he arrives there. Uy the | word " plaid" an Englishman understands a I checkered kind of cloth. He speaks of a ' ludy wearing a " plaid shawl," a " plaid dre?s," et«. The word is never u?ed m Scotland except as descriptive of a particular article of dress, a kind of long mantle, of ] rectangular cut, and fringed at the two narrow ends. This, indeed, is generally composed of checkered cloth, but a Scotchman would no moro call the clotli " plaid" than he would speak of leather as " boot." He would call it "tartan" if it be the well-known Highland cloth of divera color 3 ; if not, he gives it no special name. Thk Latb Lukab Kclifsb. — A peculiar feature of tho lato eclipse of the moon, noticed m our columns at the time, is thus ' commented on by an astronomical correspondent! of the iVew Zealand Times :■ — " The eclipse of Thursday confirms tho evidence given by tlie la«t total eclipse of the moon. In any large eclipse the durk part of tho moon shines wilii a dull red light. On Thursday night there was only a grey neutral light upon the dark body of the moon, which, at the contrc of the eclipse, scarcely allowed the whole moon to be seen. The moon entering the earth's shadow is usually still illuminated by the sun's light bent round by the earth's atmosphere, and is reddened. In the total eclipse one small portion of the moon only was visible, as a dull rod spot m tho sky ; but then, as on Thursdny night, all else was dirk, and scarcely visible m the telescope. No other reason can be given for I this than that tho new matter m the sky, which cousod the brilliant sunset glows, still remains, and that this cut off much of the usual amount of light. It is noticeable that Venus, < ho briglit evening star, shines, not with its usual yellowish light, but with the bluish light of Jupiter. This matter m our atmosphere was p'ainly shown m the largo hnlo around the sun at the last eclipse as totality drew near." An Kscommukication Case. — The nclion of the Hey. Coker Adams, rector of Saham Toney, Norfolk, m pronouncing sentence of excommunication on a farmer named Payne, has (we learn from the East Detroit Herald) produced a great eensa'ion throughout Norfolk. It is stated that i" ayno was not m the habit of attending the church, and had refused the clergyman admittance to his house. On receiving a letter threatening his excommunication, Payne did not understand the term, and thinking it meant some new process of recovering debt, ho sent word back to the reel ory asking if by any mistake any portion of last year's tithe rent ha^ been loft unpaid. The rector then forwarded the following letter :—" Sir, -My letter to you last Sunday wns not' written m consequenco of any personal matter. You have, as you truly say, nlways paid me my dues. I wrote to remind you that you had porsistcnly neglected to attend the church services, and refused to receive her ministors, and that I should therefore feel it my painful duty to pronounco you cut off from tho church's communion and membership. Tho wish f expressed at the end of my letter was quite sincero and reaiains unaltered sill. Yours, faithfully, r Cocnß Adams." The wish referred to was contained m the rector's first letter, where the reverend gentle man prayed God to change Payne's heart, and save his soul for Jeeun Christ's sale. Tho Bishop of Norwich hag been appealed to m the matter. A Pbdigrbe Cask. — Mr Justice Chitty, m London, gave judgment m the matter of Perton. deceased, m which the Crown resisted tho claim to personalty of the dcoeosed to the amount of £200,000. on the ground that the deceased was illegitimate. Three boys were baptised at the parish church, Aston, Birmingham, at the same time, and were registered as being the eons of John and Maria Clnpperton, but the youngest, George Pomberton Clapperton, was m very early years educated by a relative, and was afterwards si-nt to school by n mßnufacturing jeweller at Birmingham, named Thos. Pemberton. This man subsequently apprenticed him to the business, of which ho afterwards became mnnnger, ond ultimately proprietor. He retired from the business m 1840, and died m 1881. It was generally recognised that ho was tho natural sou of Thomas Pemberton, and he entertained this belief himself. an 4 asserted his illegitimacy. He changed his namo to that of Perton. Tho present claimant, Mrs Whilaker, net up her title to the £200,000 as r.oxt of kin of Pi-rton, «ho being a descendant of one of the threo boys supposed to bo brothers who were baptised at one and the samo time at Aston. She, therefore, assorted Perton'a legitimacy. The great point m the case was whether statements by a pnrson that ho was illegitimate were admissible as evidence. His Lordship m a judgment of great length decided Hint G. Perton was illegitimate, and gave judgmont against the nppl'Oant's claim. Thb Kobtii Bkidob.— Thin gigautio ongineoring undertaking is still being pushed, and is said to bo progressing satisfactorily. Though the geiioral nppounuico which the bridge will present is pretty well known from published drawings, it may not be inappropriate at present to recall some of its more prominent features. Tho total lengli of the bridge from end to end it 2700 ywds, lbs

Dortion betwoen high-water mark on the two ■ides of the Firth being |1900 yards. Beginning at the Queensferry Bide, the bridge is carried out 1780 feet on a seriea of nine piera jf solid masonry, faced with Cyclopean blocks jf Aberdeen grey granite. Each of these piers «ill be 130 feet m height above high water, md the span between them is 160 feet. Hie fourteenth pier from the shore is what is culled the cantilever tower, as upon it will rest not only the end of the girders, but the end of the shoreward arm of the south cantilever. This tower has, m consequence, been made of great size -the basement or cutwiiter being 103 feet m length and 52 feet m thickness. The crucial part of the scheme it that which carries the railway over the deep water of the Forth— the frea navigation of the channel for the largeist ships having to be conserved. 'Ihis is to be accomplished on what is known as the cantilever principle, which popularly speaking, mean, that from three sets of granite piers, arranged m groups of four columns each— the central set at Inchgnrvie, und the others about 1800 feet on each aide— a huge superstructure of steel will be reared supporting gigantic brackellikc amis, two of which, with a separate girder m the centre, will form an apparent arch with a span of 1700 feet, or about onethird of a mile, and with a height above high, water level of 150 (clear) feet. There will be two such spans m the bridge, and two half-spans of 680 feet each, one thrown shoreward to the cantilever tower on the South Queensferry side, already referred to, while the other will rest upon a corresponding tower on the opposite shore. Alleged Mutiny and Mubdbb on thb High Seas.- At the Liverpool Police Court recently a German sailor named Carl Boskowsky wae charged with causing the death of another sailor named Louis Dale on board tho British ship Parngon while on a voyugo from Buenos Ayres to Valparaiso. It appeared from tbe case for the prosecntion that the seamen on board that vessel were not efficient, and the result was that a good deal of ill-feeling existed between them and the officer*. A proposal was made by the prisoner that the crew should rise and kill the officers, and this appeared to meet with a certain amount of favor amongst some of tho crew. On the 17th April lost the deceased, who was the second mate on that vessel, was on deck giving some orderß, when the prisoner, approaching him from behind, struck him a fearful blow ou the head with an aie, at the same time calling on the crow to come and help him. The captain and the boatswain, however, armed with revolvers, went towards the men and cowed them into submission, and tho prisoner was put m irons. Another man nnmed Carlsen, when he saw the failure of the attempted mutiny, jumped overboard. The Bhip was at this time off Cape Horn, and a heavy sea was running, so that no attempt could bo made to rescue Carlsen, who was drowned. Dale's skull was fractured by the blow ; but m spite of his injuries he lived for twelve days afterwards, dying on the 29th April. On the arrival of tho vessel at Valparaiso the matter was reported to the Conßul, and the prisoner was arrested and sent to Liverpool by mail steamer. He was now con mitted for trial on the charge of wilful murder. Bats and "Pebils op thb Sba."— At the Liverpool Assizes last month, before Mr Justice Lopes and a special jury, a case involving some interesting points" was heard. ) t was an action brought by Messrs Pandroff and Co., importers, of London, against Mesßrs Hamilton, Fraser and. Co., shipowners and managers of the Inch Line of steamers, to recover the Jsum of 1 £1008, compensation for damage to a cargo of rice shipped by tho plaintiffs m one of the defendants' vessels Mr Btisaell, Q.C., M.P., and Mr Walton were tho plaintiffs, and Mr Bigham, Q. 0., and Mr Barnes for the defendants. The plaintiffs' case was that thoy shipped 30,272 bags of vice m the defendants' steamer Inchrhona, and it was found on delivery at London that some GOOO bags had been damaged by salt water. The water had got into the cargo through a lead bath pipe which had been partially eaten away by rats. The plaintiffs contended that the defendant* had not taken reasonable care m the carrying of the cargo, aDd that they were therefore entitled to damages. For tlie defence, it was contended that the rats which caused the damage constituted one of f'e " perils of the ten," for which, under the bills of lading, shipowners were not liable. Evidence was called to prove tliat the rats were brought on board -with i the rice. Witnesses also spoke as to the prevalence of rats at rice ports, where, it was said, the lighters literally swarmed witb. them, and thut it was practically impossible to keep them out of the ships. The jury, m answer to His Lordship, gave it as their opinion that the rats that caused the damage were not brought on board with the cargo. Hi» Lordehip said that was a verdict for the plaintiffs. A Roman Catholic View of the Session. — The TabM, although opposing the extension of the franchise to women, admits that the conferment of the franchise on ladies would not spoil the character of the Legislature. It proceeds to pass this vigorous condemnation of the helplessness —we Lad almost written moral cowardice —of tho Assembly as at present constituted : — " Hou. members, as they have displayed themselves before us, have evidently, with very few exceptions, been returned by voters who took anything but a broad or patriotic view of the task they were engaged m ; and it might seem that no woman, let her dependence or simplicity be what it might, ceuld have been more influenced m giving her vote iv the wrong direction, than were a grouty majority of the men who now exercise the electors' part. In fact, had our present Parliament m the past session, not only been elected by women, but actually composed of them, it is to be doubted if its members could have returned from Wellington with a more scandalous record of wasted time and worthless measures. Had our Ministry also, indeed been composed of hon. ladies— all of them, as one member of tho Dunedin Union proposed with respect to the female voters, over thirty-five years of age — and possessed of all tho qualities usually attributed to the old woman, it may bo doubted as to whether they would have acquitted themselves less brilliantly ; although, perhaps, tho honorable sisterhood would have been found less accommodating m their aitidue towards tho House. And puch is the Cabinet over which genius presides— and such are the hopes of the country. No womanish interference could mnke tho situation worse." HOW THB NATVT GOT INTO SOUAKIM. The following story is going the rounds of tho English Press :— One night a. navvy marched into tho base hospital at Souakim with the exclamation " Blowod if I goes any furthor tonight j" and upon being questioned he stated that ho had been loft behind by tho train about seven miles from Soukim, and resolved to, walk into camp rather than sleep alone m tho desert. He therefore found his way into the base hospital by keeping on tho railway tracks. He said : " I have been fired at throe times by sentries. When they said 1 Who goes there ? ' I paid ' Bailwav',' and blow me if the sentry didn't fire. So' I ran, and thought ' Railway ' wasn't right. Then I Bays I'll whistle ' Bi-to-ri-fol-10l j' them sodgora '11 surely know a British tune when they hears one, and so I whistled all the way m until I got here, and blowed if I budges from this place until morning. " Insulting an Empbbob.— A notice of the death of the onco famous French baritone, Merly, appears m the theatrical columns of the Parisian journals. Merly, who possessed every qualification neeoss.irv for success—a voice of tho finest quality, a faultless method, and a commanding presence was received with open nrms at the Opera, where a career of uncommon brilliancy seemed to be awaiting him. But Merly was a politician first and an artist after, and politics proved his ruin. One evening shortly after ho entered on his engagement at the Opera tho Emporor and Empress came to witness the performance. Tho piece was " Guillaumo Tell," and everything went well till Merly came to the famous phrase, " L'inrtependcnce on la mort !" Merly advanced as near as lie could get to the Imperial box, and witli eyes flashing fire he thundered out tho words at it» occupants, shaking his fist m their direction at the same time. The house m stupefied. Tho Kmperor repaid tho i.isnlt with a contemptuous a mile and a disdainful shrug of the shoulders. Merly refused to make the apology which tho director insisted oh next day ; tind ltts connection with the opera, and with it the prospect of rising to tho Terr summit of his profession, oame to an untimely end.