Untitled

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1994, 26 May 1875, Page 4

Mv John Timbs;—-Readerg will learn ■with regret that the worthy and painstaking antiquary, John Timbs, is no more. He has ' died in harness, almost with h\£ pen in his hand, after a life of mor^ than seventy years, and a literary car e er extended over more than ; na ff. a . cen tury. He^was of humble ' extract j on) and" born StmSl^ °n August 17iih, : 1801.. He commenced authorship tinder the auspices ol v^.:jJiehard Phillips, and his first ' ..plication, we believe, was a little guidebook to Dorking'and its neighbourhood, a locality with which he was familiar as a boy. He subsequently was editor, solely or conjointly, of the Mirror, one of the best and • most ■ amusing of early chea.p publications ; and for nearly twenty years after its establishment by the late Mr Ingram he was the "working editor'- of the Illustrated London News Though not gifted with any great original powers he was one of the most industrious of men, and there was scarcely a magazine of the last quarter of a century to which he was not at least an occasional contributor. He was an excellent collector of personal, local, and antiquarian gossip ; and he could make up the most readable common-place books on almost every subject of interest to lovers of old times, and to those who like good stories and quaint anecdotes. A few years ago,' when about seventy years of age, he was nominated one of the "Poor Brethren" or "Pensioners'* of. the Charterhouse; but he had resigned his gown and rooms some time before his death. Female Scholarship. ■—The Christchurch " Loafer in the Streets" thus discourses on the subject of female scholarships :—I am pleased to observe that .female scholarships have been instituted by the Education Board. 1 cannot quite understand "boys having to give way a year to their fair competitors. I expect girls are as • smart as boys. Such is my experience. I wish ■in my diffident style to suggest the following samples of questions as likely to suit aprovince where advertisements such as the following frequently appear:—" Wanted a Gook or Ho\i se . maid. Wages .no object." l-.Oanyou cook,a.spud?. 2. What is *- -pj) 0 you use it: if bo, how "ofr^p 3> p arn t h e enclosed sock w^ co tt O n oi worsted, not of V*P*X\'-$. State briefly how you would sipj^g a butcher' boy who brought y£ v "unreliable, joints 5. What are the Ejects of slinging, soup-suds in front of the back door. 6. Describe dinner for six and how you would cook it ? 7. Supposing your missus throws cups and perhaps saucers at your master's head in your presence, how would you act? 8. Give nine good excuses for being an hour late on night out 9. How are your ' cousins? How many of them are there, and how do you like them ? In connection with this question you may state how •much beer a cat is likely to get through, say in a fortnight. 10. Define fristee, pannier, handkerchief; bassinette, dress improver, and chatelaine. 11. Make a time table for a cook or housemaid., 12. Write a short essay on perambulator*. Pooe Thing.—" Has that gal got fits P" asked an old farmer, who had paused to see a young lady go through with her calisthenie exercises in the garden. " No," replied the servant girl, " that's jimmynastics." "So," said the farmer in a pitying tone; " poor thing how long's she had'em? " . Otee Head and Eaes.—Achap went to a workshop to buy pork on credit. First he bargained for a lot of pig's ears j next, the tradesman ■eeming willing to trust, he bought a pig'a head; then growing bold, he said, •" I believe I'll,take that ham." " No, you won't, replied the shopkeeper, " you are over head and ears in debt now."<--Ainerican paper.