MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1858, 21 April 1863, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

The railway to Ancona, which is in course of construction, will be opened in a short time to Orta, about 18 leagues from Rome. The Pope on Sunday received the Diplomatic Body, and consequently gave an audience to Francis 11., late of Naples

The Confederate Sumf.er was sold at Gibraltar an the 19th ult. for 16.500 dols.

It is stated that Dr Liviugstone's steamer^ the Pioneer, haa been lost. No particulars are given. A notice has been issued that an International Agricultural Exhibition will take place at Hamburg in June, 1 863. The annual retnrns of the trade of the St. Lawrence canals have been made up. In 1861 only 230 tons of petroleum passed through the Canadian canals ; last year 4678 tons have passed,

Scarcely a Joke. — Ist September. Took a ride early this morning over the Long Bridge. A» 1 was passing out of the earthwork called a fort, on the hill a dirty German soldier called out from the parapet, " Pull-Kun Rusbbll ! you shall never write Pull's Runs again," and at the same time cocked his piece, and levelled it at me. I immediately rode round into the fort, the fellow still presenting his firelock, and asked him what he meant, at the same time calling for the Bergeant of the guard, who came at once, and at my request arrested the man, who recovered arms, and said, "It was a choake— l vant to freeken Pull-Run Russell." However, as his rifle was capped and loaded, and on full cock, with his finger on the trigger, I did not quite see the fun of it, and I accordingly had the man marched to the tent of the officer, who promised to investigate the case, and made a report of it to the brigadier, promised on my veturn to lay the circumstances before him. On reflection, I resolved that it was best to lot the matter drop. The joke might spread, and it was quite unpleasant enough as it was to bear the insolent looks and scowling faces of the guards at the posts, to whom I was obliged to exhibit my pass whenever I went out to ride.— My Diary North and, South, By W. S. Mussell.

Novelty ih Photography. — The Copenhagen correspondent of the Telegraph says : — The sweethearts of Fatherland are just being made happy by the production of miniature stereoscopic portraits, no larger than a pin's head, though rendering the features of the beloved object with all the accuracy of the ordinary carte de visite. A lady true to the choice of her heart may carry the portrait of the fortunate knight in a shawl-pin or betrothal ring, with all the publicity and secrecy demanded by love and bashfulness combined ; while her squire may raise his favorite cigar-holder to a higher object of worship than heretofore by studding it with the fair lineaments ofhis beloved. It is only necessary to carry a pocket microscope to enjoy the otherwise invisible likeness, and magnify an unmeaning speck into features eloquent with life and love. After this, nothing remains for aged aunta, and other dragons of the duenna species, but to give up tho work of despair and avow at last Chat the world is too many for them. To complete the utility of the invention in this line of art, love-letters may be prepared, in which an inexpressive blot upon a blank sheet of paper can contain untold words of unfathomable affection, and glowing assurances of perfect devotion.

The President's Wipe. — There is a little French gentleman here against whom the fates bear heavily. I have given him employment as an amanuensia and secretary for some time back, and he tells mo many things concerning the talk in the city which I do not hear myself, from which it would 6eem that there is an increase of ill-feeling towards mo every day, and that I am a convenient channel for concentrating all the abuse and hatred so long cherished against England. I was a little tickled by an account he gave me of a distinguished lady, who sent for him to give French lessons, in order that she might bacome equal to her high position in mastering the difficulties of the courtly tongue. I may mention the fact, as it was radiated by the press through nil the land, that Mrs M. N., having once on a timo " been proficient in the language, has forgotten in the lapse of years, but has resolved to renew her studies, that she may better discharge the duties of her elevated station." The master went to tho house and Btated his terms to a lady whom he saw there ; but as she marohanded a good deal over small matters of cents he never supposed he was dealing with the great lady, and therefore made a small reduction in his terms, which encouraged the enemy to renew the assault till he stood firmly at thrae shillings a lesson, at which point the lady left him, with the intimation that she would consider the matter and let him know. And now, the Hcientiate tells mo, I it has become known he is my private seoretary, he is not considered eligible to do avoir and eire for the satisfaction of the good lady, who really ifffar better than her friends describe her to be. — My Diary Northland South, By Wm. Howard Russell* : ;

Thb Fonbbaii or the Late Mb Riohabd Gbebn. —On the morning of Saturday, January 24, the funeral of the late Mr Green, the eminent «hipowner, took place in Poplar,- with every mark of public respeot and regret. A procession was formed at 11 o'clock, but long before that hour tho streets near tho railway station, in front of the lamented gentleman's late residence, and the -East Indiaroad as far as Trinity Chapelj were thronged by dense crowds numbering from 1&.000 to 20,000 persons of all ages and conditions. The shops were generally closed, and the flags of all the shipping, in the East and Westlndia Docks werehoisted halfmast high. The procession was headed by 100 men of the Royal Naval Reserve followed by 40 cadets of the training-ship Worcester. The hearse was followed by several mourning coaches and Mr Green's private carriage, to which succeeded tho captains and officers of deceased's ships, the foremen and clerks of the establishment, a large number of gentlemen of the'district, and the carpenters and others employed in the yards. The corttge was closed by a number of boys from the Merchant Sailors' Orphan Asylum at Snaresbrook, and from , the local schools, of which Mr Green was so munificent a patron. The body was interred in Trinity Chapel, Poplar, by the side of the coffin of deceased's father, MrjGeorge Green.— Some Neios.

Justice in a " Fix."— A curious case is reported from trie Westminster Police-court. About a fortnight ago a man was taken into custody for begging. He was standing in the street with a placard on his breast stating that he was deaf and dumb . On being brought up at the court nobody apparently could make him understand the charge against him, or any of the proceedings. Experts in. conversation with deaf and dumb people tried their hands, but all in vain. . He was thereupon remanded for a week, in order that enquiries might be made about him. On the 14th January, on being again put to the bar, it was stated that nothing had bean ascertained as to where he lived or what were hia antecedents. In this dilemma, the magistrate ordered a policeman to take the prisoner out of court and follow him where he should lead. As soon as he was outside he went to a shop and got shaved, and then led the policeman to the top of Grosvenor-place. Here he contrived to make the official understand that he had to walk twenty miles into the country before he slept ; and the policeman having no stomach for snch a journey, took him back to the police-court. In sheer despair, Mr Arnold then dismissed the clever beggar.

A Love Adventure. — The Liverpool press has given publicity to one of thestrangestlove adventures which have been recorded by the newspapers for some time. It seems that a man whose name it is unnecessary to mention, but who has for some time past resided in Manchester, gained the affections of a woman whose name does not appear, and proposed matrimony to her. The man was worth a considerable sura of money, and ; suggested to the object of his affections that after marriage they should enter into business. The woman readily fell in with his view, and kept a sharp look out for some eligible business in. which to engage. One offered in Liverpool, and thither our hero betook himself with his lady, in order that they they might buy a « a soft business " which.was ad. vertisod. Matters having gone so far, the pair deemed that the sanctity of their loves rendered the marriage ceremony a mere conventional form and accordingly occupied one sleeping apartment. Each night the man placed his, pooket-book, containing 4J500 in notes, under the mattrass of the bed, his companion the while watching him with much interest. One day he a went with the woman to procure a marriage license, and was about toopenhispocketbooktotake.outanote to pay for the document, when his future wife prevented him and paid the amount . herself. It was arranged that they should be married in two or three days, and they returned to Manchester and wenj; to their respective homes. W hen the man opened his pocket-book in the evening, he found that £U0 had been abstracted and flimsy paper substituted to make up the bulk, >He at once proceeded to the Manchester police-station, and hay. ing procured the services of a detective officer, the woman was taken into custody and conveyed to Liverpool. Upon their arrival there, he proposed that if the officer would give up his prisoner ho would make her his wife. The detective at once consented, and the woman having been set free, the pair proceeded to the Old Church, where they were married; and satisfactorily; settled the monetary difficulty.

Fearful Accidents by Fibb. — On the evening of the 22nd January Mr Burohell, the solicitor for the Metropolitan Railway, had a party of young friends at his house (in Upper Harley-streefc, Cavendish-square), and in the course of thenight, while the dancing waa at its height, piercing shrieks were heard from Miss Burohell, who rushed out of the room with her dress in a blaze. The flames were extinguished with morepromptitude than usually happens in such cases, hut too late to save the young lady—she sank in the course of the day. It was supposed that her dress, which was of light muslin, had been wafted in the dancing towards the grate, and had caught fire, our readers may fancy how in a moment the mirth of the party waa changed into consternation and horror.— The death of Mrs Grant, widow of the late Colonel Grant, of the Indian army, has just been caused by an accident arising from the use of crinoline. The facts of this case came under the notice of the coroner for Central Middlesex on December 30. It appeared that on Christinasday, about 11 o'clock, Mrs Grant was sitting in the drawing room of a house iv Hereford-road, Westbourne-grove, where she resided, when, turning round to look at a bird which was flying about the apartment, the back of her dress «aught fire. At first she endeavoured to out off the burning clothes ; but, being unable to do so, she raised an alarm. The sister of the owner of the house at once went to her assistance, but not before nearly the entire of her clothing had been consumed. Mrs Elizabeth Edwards, the lady of the house, entered the room in two or three minutes after her Bister, whom Bhe found much burnt in consequence of her efforts to save Mrs Grant. By this time the latter lady had suffered fearful injuries from the flames, and all her clothing waa burnt off her, with the exception of her stays. Two doctors were called in, and attended Mr§ Grant till 7in the evening, when she died. She told Mrs Edwards the circums.tances under which the accident liad occurred, and expressed her deep regret that ladies should wear crinoline petticoats, as it was to the use of one she attributed her death.

Southern Aimr. — The more I see of the Southern army, the more lam lost in admiration ' of its splendid patriotism, at its wonderful endurance, at its utter disregard of hardships which probably no modern army has been called upon to bear up against. Wretchedly equipped, the soldiers of the Confederacy advance to meet their foes, the light of battle shining on their countenances, determined to be victorious or die. I have seen them marching over the hot and dusty roads of Virginia, uniforraless, shoeless, many with nothing but a thin, well-worn shirt to shelter them from the scorching rays of the sun, and yet every man cheered his comrade, and alt as they dragged their bleeding feet along made light of their sufferings, and with renewed elasticity atrodo forward on their way, many to their graves. The lies I have heard in the North of disaffection in the South have been refuted to* me a thousandfold. My own eyes and ears have contradicted at every step I have taken, the calumnies circulated to the prejudice of a people firmly, united in' their desire for Separation from the. old Government* and resolved to fight for their independence till the last man has been called from his home, and the last plantation laid waste. What a grand picture does this colossal revolution present ; how near to heroism is this people brought, who, saori. fioirig everything— mothers their'softs, wives their husbands— -all they hold dear— for? that wHioh every country has fought for at some time. during its history— its rights; Yes with ; all Europe against them— for are not the poris 'of the Nprtji" crn States open, to the world ?— theie 8&xbm6l:; the South blockaded in their -harbbr&,,. with" sorry ; arms, deprived of those resources !whioh alone ; ; make their enemy formidable, yet .drive baokitfrov v countless legions of this " invader JfrQu| their 'atoily^v" and with "Ib'trittmphe !" <fo ; ttt^^tei^d4tiin^^ nora, prepare J io v oarry the aesolapra I»hlohi^ thcgr^;^ have suffered to the homes of th)9ir^^ißar|Sji^; ;%; Correspondent, of ' iffl:mMtr^fr&on^i££ .w ■"^.■•-. ' -vf^is^iiiiKi