CURRENT TOPICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4909, 27 March 1894, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS.

A military court-martial has been sitting at Marseilles to try a eoWier named Augusts Seboul, fcr baring deserted aa long ago as the year 1870. The defence wai a very remarkable -one. It waß not denied that Seboul had actually volunteered for service in the Army of the Loire, or that he had rather distinguished himßelf during the heroic struggle of that; semi-disciplined force. Having been captured by the Germans at Le Mans, he escaped disguised a3 a peasant, and proceeded to join his regiment at Aries, where he ooutinued to serve as an efficient! combatant. A short time afterwards, how ever, he left France and went to Cairo, whence he has only just .returned, after a lapee of more than twenty-three years. Seboul's defence was that the war wa3 practically at an end when he wentaway. On this plea he waa actually acquitted, the Court taking into account the fact that he had in other respects so excellent a record.

A short timo ago a well-known inhabitant of Wildervank, in Holland, locally reputed to be tolerably well off, died, leaving a letter in which, he solemnly adjured his relatives to have him buried just, as he w&s, clothes and all. His wishes were duly carried out. When the affairs of tbe deceased came to be inquired into, it was found impossible to say what had become cf his fortune. It was known, for ; instance, th^t he was possessed of 10,000 florins in bonds to bearer, but his heira uearched high and loir without being able to find the olightest trace of them. It then occurred to someone that pethapa the old man, who was not precisely ou good terms with his relatives, might-, by his ... singular request, have caimd his securities to be buried with him. Aa application has been made to the authorities tor permission to e.tbumo the remains, and tuere, for the present, the matter rests.

A Blight printer's mistake in the Paris ' Boltio," or Directory, hii3 Jed an unfortunate man to commit suicide. He carried oo business in tbe Rue dv Faubourg Sfc Mertin. As bo wrs looking through tha book, he thought he would sco if b-s own name and address were given. To li<s B'irpriea he found he was described &* " Madame " and a widow. Without losing Any time, Le ruehed round to tho place where the Directory is printed to giv»s iiirtrin.tioDß fdr an alteration to be made ia tow new ecUti.oll, but, arriving there, ha was t6ld he had come too late, as tho woik had gonfl to ptees. Returning home, bo lacked himself in hia bedroom, f«mi bh\t I his brains out with v revolver. It eppeatj tbat he bad been suffering froai tbe htJiucination that he waa being pecaecated by everybody.