THINGS ENGLISH. AND OTHERWISE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8053, 4 July 1904, Page 2

THINGS ENGLISH. AND OTHERWISE.

• rfr NEW YORK TRAMS. In his description, of New York scenes, in " Dollars and Democracy," Sir Philip Burnes-Jones mentions the overcrowding of the tram-cars. " Men and women are subjected to every form of indignity that intimate yet reluctant physical proximity to one another can suggest. When the seats are all occupied, the central aisle ia soon filled with a serried mass of seething humanity, hanging on frantically to stout straps provided for the purpose '(hence the elegant phrase 'strap-hanger'), pacek together like sardines, through which the conductor, usually not specially distinguished for either courtesy or cleanliness, struggles and edges and shoulders his way, collecting fares." Nor is this all. The men spit, and no rules can stop them. AN INGENIOUS TRICK. What appears to be a new and ingenious i shoplifting trick is reported from Amsteri dam. An eldterly and highly respectable looking gentleman addressed two small boys who were standing in front of a jeweller's window, asking which of them coufd run the faster. As this eeemedi to be a matter of opinion, the benevolent old perßon suggested that they should have a race, once round what am American! would call the " block!" He offered a shilling to the winner. The boys started at their best" speed, and at the same moment there was a loud crash, and the shop window flew in fragments. Out rushed the shopman. "There! There!" cried the old gentleman, pointing to the two running figures. " Those wicked little boys. I saw them do it." Off ran the shopman after the boys. The old gentleman walked calmly into the deserted shop, filled his pocket, and toddled happily round the corner. Three minutes later the shopman returned with a weeping small boy's car in either hand. But he never saw the old gentleman, nor his lost jewellery again. A PECULIAR CASE. ' A peculiar action for slander was heard recently at the Leeds assizes. The plaintiff was headmaster of the Henley Church Schools, and the defendant tho Rev Mr Moogan, Congregational ministeri of the ,same village. Plaintiff alleged that, the defendant, speaking at a passive resistance demonstration, said that he (plaintiff) had asked members of his class which of them, were Nonconformists and which of them "Ranters." Such a question, defendant snid, was a shameful one. Plaintiff denied the incident, and claimed damages for slander. Defendant denied that he referred to plaintiff, but said that the question was put by a junior teacher; Two ibbys stated that the question whether they were "Ranters" or not. was put to them. The teacher referred to swore that he did not ask the boys any such question. Mr Justice Lawrance observed that such a case would certainly not benefit the cauee of religion. The jury found that defendant did not refer to plaintiff in the speech complained pf. Judgment, was therefore entered' for defendant. AMERICAN CORRUPTION. ■Among the many stories of official corruption in America being published, the following from "Collier's Weekly" is worthy of attention. George Bishop, of Buffalo, was a sailor. In summer \he made his living* on the Great Lakes. In winter his occupation was that of a professional prisoner at county and village gaols. This was his method, as related by himself:— "I get into a town, and I goes up to a • cop, and says: 'How are you fixed for a little time?' And he says: 'How much) do you want?' I cay : ' Oh, about five or ! ten days.' Then him and me fixes it up. He takes me before the /Justice,, and) I pleads guilty, and down I goes. Time up, I get a tip, and skip over to the other parts where the officers are all right, get a little time off them, and back I comes under a new name, then down again, and so on." In most of the rural parts of New York, as in other States, pplice officers are paid by fees for each amet made, and sheriffs or gaolers, are given an allowance for the; board of each prisoner while in custody. This explanation is sufficient to . show the full meaning of the sailor-tramp's stor 7^ ADVICE" TO POLITICIANS. s Advice which George, eighth Du-ke of Argyll received early in, his pjolitical career from the Duke of. Wellington is chronicled in the biography of Sir William Henry Flower, surgeon, naturalist; etc, published hy iMacmUlan. A man in the Indian Civil Service had some grievance against -the company, having been, he alleged, wrongfully deprived of an appointment, and was trying to get compensation. His case was brought to the notice, of the puke of Argyll, then very young in politics, and he promised to bring' it before Parliament; but in order to get more support he went to the Duke of • Wellington, 'and laid all' the circumstances before him. The Duke listened, and asked what he ', proposed to do. He said, ''To &sk a question in the House." "Well, and when your question is answered, what next?" " Well>" the Duke of Argyll replied, hesitating, "that, I suppose, will depend upon ; circumstances," or something to that effect. Whereupon the Duke of Wellington said, " Let me give you a piece of, advice, which ; I have always acted upon through my life. Never take any step without having clearly in' your what, if it should sucoeed, the next step will be." PORTUGUESE SUPERSTITION. ' An^almost incredible display of ignorance and superstition has just taken place, at a Vjllage-jin Northern Portugal. An old man having to all appearances died, the neighbours laid him 'out for burial, and called ia a *arb»r io shave him, leaving him alone at) niglTfcwitji the supposed corpse. .As a m»tfcer of ffcet, tJ*& old! man was no* dead, but only in. a fit, and directly the brush touched hjs face, he ra.se up and began to talk' esciiiedly. 'The barber was so f rightened! %ai "he want : raving ; mad, aird rushing to the door of &• house, bduWed , until the entire village w*u» roused -«nd the ; flocked; to tho house. .: TW he 1 showed, them . the old m&i ■ slive in his ] burial- clothe?, and declared that he (the < batbar), wis.Christ, and had power to raise , the dead. 'He cajled upon all who wished 4p save their souls to. fallow him into the : village- church to return thanks for the I miracle. The entire village followed the ■ ytslli&g maniac- to the church, where he 1 ascended the altar steps, took his place in 4&e niche of a saint, afcd called upon them all to pray, deciding that they could only iwircb»K. pwdop by absolute obediOTce M tto fi .Ti +%>- flf God/ The. ,

terrified people clamoured.' for meroy, and then, 'by his orders, stripped themselves amidst the wildest excitement and marched' round the churchyard and back to the church, headed vby the demented barber. On their return he told them to clothe themselves and 1 return to their h*mse», as they had been cleansed from sin and born again. It was not until the next day that the priest heardi of the dreadful scene.