WAIFS AND STRAYS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 80, 7 November 1874, Page 12

WAIFS AND STRAYS.

Ireland's Xoye op I*BEETY.~-The unconquerable obstinacy, this lengthened remembrance of departed liberty, this faculty of preserving andnourishing through ages^f physical misery and suffering the thought of that which is no more, of never despariug ef a constantly vanquished cause, for which, generations have successively and in vain perished m the £eld, and by the executioner, is, perhaps, the most extraordinary and the greatest example that a people has evei given.— Thierry's History of the Norman Conquest. Chabactee. — A lecture was recently given on " Hats." The speaker, who was a phrenologist, argued in favor of a man betraying a character by tie way in which he wore his head-gear, and doing so, he demonstrated, that those of a bellicose turn of mind placed their hate on one side of their leads (the soldier for instance), in order that the hat might touch the most actively developed part of the brainnamely, that of combativeness. The proud man too, he continued, would naturally wear his liat well on Ms forehead, resting it thus upon the apex of the parietal bones, beneath which lay, the orgaa of selfesteem. And, continued, he, the benevolent man, the person who loves his fellow-creatures, the being who delights in acts of kindliness, wears his Hat on the back of his head, in order that it may rest on the upper portion of the frontal sinus, where is situate the organ of benevolence and generosity. When the audience left the hall two-thirds of tliem had suddenly betaken themselves to wearing their hats on the extreme back of the head. Scarcely a man was present wno nacl not set up for a generous, benevolent, high-minded individual on the spot. Among the names of the passengers by (he mail ship Mikado from San Francisco » that of the Rev. Eugene Luckie, vho returns to the Australian mission after an absence of about two years The rev gentleman has made prolonged tours through Europe and America, and has, we underetand, at the express wish of his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney, made special inquiries into the working and results of the school systems of the several States which he visited. Father Luckie's many friends in this colony and in Queensland (he has had missions in the outlying districts of both before the separation) will be glad to learn that he is m excellent health and spirits. It will be remembered that before.his departure Father Luckie was for a number of years the respected pastor of the parishes of Woolahra and Paddington. -A. 0 ? 86 -^* great im P Ortan °c to newspaper proprietors has been decided by Vice-Chancellor Little, at Liverpool. Mr. John Vaughan,

editor of the ' Liverpool Leader,' had been summoned before the reeistrar to answer questions as to the sources from which he obtained information appearing in the < Leader' on the Oivil Service Association. Mr Vaughan refused steadily to disclose his informant's name, taking the responsibility of the article upon himself; and after many adjournments, the Vice-Chancellor decided that he was not bound to answer the question?. Gbeat Home Rtoe Demonstbatioit. — A great Home Rule demonstration has been held in Glasgow. A procession a mile lone marched through the streets to a field outside the city, where 20000 persons were present. The Rev. Isaac Nelson, of Belfast, declared that Home Rule prospects were bright. Attacking Dr. Ball's speech, he amrmed that the intellect and independence of Ireland were favourable to Home Rule, but lawyers getting Government situations had become loyal. He intimated his intention of stumping Ireland to criticise late speeches in Parliament against Home Rule. Resolutions favourable to federal union, condemning, the incarceration of political prisoners, and strongly disapproving of the conduct of the Irish members who voted for coercion, were adopted. The 'Dublin Evening Post' says :— « lntelligence has reached Dublin that the Very Rev. Martin Orean, 0.5.A., late Prior of the Augustinian Convent, John-street, has been nominated by the Holy Father to the newly-erected See of Sandhurst, in Australia. Like all the appointments made by Rome, the selection of Dr. Orean is one that is certain to indicate the wisdom of the choice. During a lengthened career in Ireland, his lordship evidenced great zeal, distinguished* ability, and acquirements, and, need we add, sanctity, such is the invariable characteristic of the Irish priesthood. Dr. Orean goes forth, another Irish missionary, to carry the faith and the traditions of the glorious Irish Church to a distant land, and we are convinced that we are uttering a good wish, that will be echoed by thousands of those who shared in and witnessed his ministrations in {he old land, in bidding him a hearty God-speed, and hoping for him many years of . health and happiness in the new sphere of his apostolic toils." The Rev. B. Brennan, CO., acknowledges the receipt of £100 from Lord Carew, towards the erection of a curate's residence at Oournaeuddy chapel. He also says he has given for the same purpose half an acre of land, free for ever, and £100 towards the erection of the Catholic Church at Courtnacuddy, and that Lord Carew always contributes most munificiently whenever his aid is asked by the Catholic clergy. A number of English Roman Catholic ladies are preparing an address of sympathy to ladies in Germany for bravely testifying their devotion to their imprisoned Bishops. A meeting of Roman Catholics is shortly to be held in London to express sympathy with the perse* cuted Bishops and clergymen of Germany. Twenty thousand persons paraded the streets and suburbs of Dublin at the Home Rule manifestation. Mr Butt addressed a monster meeting at Monaghan. He said he believed that a nation like England would grant the Irish people the right to manage their own affairs. A ReGeet. — The retiring editor of a Southern paper proudly boasts that he has never been "horsewhipped, revolvered, knifed, kicked, liked, bricked, pummelled, or cussed for anything I have said, written, done, left undone as an editor, and in ceasing to be one, I am filled with a melancholy sadness." The Bishop of Ba.ii.aeat.— On Sunday, August 2, the Right Rev- Dr. O'Connor, Bishop of Ballarafc, was presented by his late parishioners of Ratbfarnham with an elegant address and a generous testimonial, in testimony of their deep affection for their late devoted pastor, and expressive of the sense they entertain of the loss of his efficient ministrations. No pastor could be more beloved by all classes, ond no parish priest could be more ably seconded by zealous curates. John Mitchem.. — The Dublin • Nation ' of August Bth, says : — Mr John Mitckell has been invited to a public banquet which the people of Cavan are about to give their Home Rule representatives ; but he has written declining the compliment. He is positively determined to avoid all publio demonstrations, desiring to seek in quiet retirement, in the midst of the kindred and friends of his native scenes, the rest and strength which he so much needs at present. Conversion of a Fbeekason. — The Catholic union of Ireland reports that the head of the Masonic Lodge of Besancon has died in that town. Early in 1119 illness he eagerly asked for the ministrations of the priest, and declared himself ready to abjure the order. Word to this effect was hurriedly dispatched to the lodges of Paris, Strasburg. Mulhausen, and "brethren" were sent in hot haste to dissuade him from his purpose. But it was all to no avail, and the missionaries of " the craft " returned discomforted. He made a public ren.UTiciation of Masonry, prepared himself for a worthy reception of the- Last Sacraments, which were administered to him, and died a most edifying death in reparation of the scandals he had given. England has now the largest gun in the world. It was cast at the Woolwich .Arsenal, and weighs 80 tons. This monster piece of ordnance carries a 16in. projectile, weighing 1650165., a distance of 10,300 yards — nearly six miles — and takes 3001bs. of powder for a charge. The gun coßt about £5800. The Bonapartist organs are endeavouring to show that the Emperor is not responsible for the capitulation of Sedan. General Wimpffen, who was in command on the day of surrender, states, however, that the Emperor ordered the firing to cease, while General Wimpffen was still on the field of battle, that he hoisted the white flag without his knowledge, and that he sent a flag of truce to the King of Prussia. The General, on subsequently returning to Sedan, sent in his resignation, without any allusion to his having been practically superseded, but the Emperor wrote the following reply :— " General, — You cannot resign when the question is still that of saving the army by an honourable capitulation. You have done your duty all day. Do it still. It is a service which you are rendering to the community. The King of Prussia has acceeded to the armistice, and I am waiting hia proposals." The Irish rifle team sailed for New York on Septemder 5, to contest a match with the American team.