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Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1802, 12 October 1874, Page 2

Mail Items.

Sehi' us .Charge against a Lady.-—On: Aug. 8 last Miss Lucy Mason,' a jady lately residing with her mother at Histon, about three miles from Cambridge, wai brought up on remand, before full bench of county Magistrates—Major Pemberton presiding—charged with haying, on or about the 11th of June last, concealed the birth of a child of which she had been, delivered. The dcfandant, who is thirtysix years, of ago,, is the daughter of the late head-master of the Perse Grammar School, at Cambridge, and the matter ha* excited great sensation.; Mr. Cockerell, , of the Norfolk Circuit, appeared for/the defendant, whose mother,. was present throughout the enquiry. The case had been adjourned from Aug. 1, to afford an opportunity'for a medical examination of the accused. The evidence previously given has been already puWished. Mr. j Carver, surgeon, now deposed that the lungs of the childhad not been inflated. ! Had examined Miss Mason, and she had certainly borne a child at some time or other, but witness could form no on&iion as to the date. Could not tell aitSb a month or a year. Mr. Buinpstead, surgeon, who took part in thn examination, corroborated Mr. Carver'a evidence. Ann Diver deposed that she wai in the habit of going to work at Mrs. Mason's. Went to the closet one Wednesday in June and saw the body of a child. Went to Miss Mason in the afternoon, and eaid to her that she had something solemn to tell her. Miss Mason said, " Never mind, I know nothing about it." Told her she would I' be sure to be found out when the men came to clear the place out. Sarah Smith, a married woman (twenty years) laid that between seven and eight iv the evening of the 11th of June she went to Mrs. Mason's, at her request, and on going up* stairs Miss Mason was in her bedroom undressing herself; the looked very ill; and witness had reason to believe she was in the family way. Mary Ann Ablett, a nurse, said that on the 9th of June she wa« sent for by Mrs* Mason, who wanted Jxev to stop night and day, but witness was unable to do so, expecting to be called away to Cambridge. Mrs. Mason said Miss Lucy had got the nettle-spring in her legs, and added.that she had given h<r nettle-tea for it. The usual caution having been read to, the defendant she, under the advice of Mr. Cockerell, laid, " I reserve my defence,'' and was then fully committed for- trial. She was ad- N mitted to bail, herself in £500, and two sureties of £250 each.—Home New*.

" Mosquitoes in London," is the title of a letter printed in the ;1 Times of the 24th August. So graphic is the description of a plague with which Australians are too well acquainted, tkat we readily transfer it to our columns of Colonial Topics. The writtr says, "I do not pretend to say that there wore on Friday night more than two mosquitoes in the metropolis, but as to the existence of two I am quite ready to depose on oath, not as to the best of my belief, but as to my actual positive knowledge. On that night I slept in a highly-placed room in a very large hotel not far from the Victoria Station—the word'slept' being applicable solely to the acts of. undressing, getting into bed, and lying down, for not more than two minutes had I closed, my eyes before I was roused from preliminary dosings into clear consciousness by a puncture on my hand over the knuckle, which was followed by active itchiness, and the latter symptom was speedily extended to forehead, knuckles and wrists, so that I got up, lighted a candle, and proceeded to search for creeping things to which I attributed my malaise. There were none .risible, nor were there any traces of them about, and after friction with eau de ('ologne of the irratated hands I was preparing to woo the gentle goddess, when clos» to my ear came the familiar 'bizz' of the unmistakable mosquito, which I listened to in breathless wonder till the bizz ceased, and there was just that feathery touch one can feel when watching for it of the wretch's wings as he alights. Then came the insinuating puncture, followed by the .abortive loud sounding slap on the spot attacked, which all mosquito-hunters know well, and then the useless stratagems and the incessant assaults, till iv desperation I got up again and sought my persecutors face to face^—l heard twobizzes distinctly. As I had to start by a very early train, I had not much time left to hunt them up by daylight, but there, quite bloated, hung one from the valance of the curtains about 10 feet above me, and as I made a desperate swipe at it with my umbrella it sailed away with its legs hanging down, as a gorged mosquito will-do, and. clung to another curtain quite beyond me, but close to an aldermanic-looking 'musfic,' in company with which it had revelled in my blood, to the facts, you mayl>e« Here them as positive."

The following interesting items, are from the New Zealand Herald's San Francisco special correspondent's letter:—• THEATBICAL. McGuire's new theatre is in the hands of the Gourlay family, around wflym the Scotch element are gathering witL* great enthusiasm. Mr. Gourlay 'sperformances are appreciated, and he is drawing good houses. What has become of Jimmy South ? If he could find- his way here his talents would be appreciated. The Zavistowskis, who captured" the hearts of so many Auckland youths, have married and settled down. . ' . ■ •;: THE QUEEN'S CHARITIES. ' - It is reported that the various magnificent but secret donations that have been given to the* different charitable institutions of London during the patt few years have been traced to th» Q.uee^n of. England, who is said to have disposed of ;6yer £100,000 in that quiet way: God, bless her. - ' "