Interesting Items.
The number of Bibles printed during last year in England alone amounted to nearly four millions.
A Birds' Nest in a Railway Truck.—A water wagtail's nest, containing four eggs, was found at Norbiton Station amongst some coal in a truck which arrived from Derbyshire, a few weeks ago. The old birds had evidently come too, for they were seen flying about the station.
The death is announced of Mr. Norman Macdonald, of Big Bras Dor, Cape Breton, at the reputed age of 110 years. It is stated that he was a survivor from Waterloo. He was a man of great activity and endurance, and up to about two years ago was able to work on his farm at Cape Breton.
A Quiet Rebuke.—An old minister one Sunday, at the close of the sermon, gave notice to the congregation that in the course of the week he expected to go on a mission to the heathen. One of the deacons, in great agitation, exclaimed, "Why, my dear sir, you have never told us one word of this before! What shall we do?" "Oh, brother," said the parson, "I don't expect to go out of town."
There are more beggars in London this year than I ever remember before—female beggars, crossing sweeper beggars, and singing beggars. And no wonder, if many of them earn as much as one of the fraternity who was before a suburban magistrate recently. This man confessed to earning 5s., 10s., and 15s., and on one occasion as much as £1 1s. 6d. He has earned his living by begging for thirty years, and made a very good living too. He was sent to prison for fourteen days, and when out will doubtless resume his lucrative profession.
A Clerical Miser.—The Rev. John Trueman, of Daventry, possessed an income of about four hundred pounds per annum clear; and, by his self-denying management of it, he contrived to amass fifty thousand pounds. There were few things too mean for him to do in order to save money. He would steal turnips out of the fields as he passed along, on the pretence of visiting the farmhouses, and then beg bits of bacon to boil with them from the good wives in the parish. Sometimes he would quarter himself, without any invitation, in a farmhouse, and in the room in which he slept, he has been known to pull the worsted out of the corners of the blankets, and take it away with him, in order to darn his stockings.
In India we have a few peculiarities because of the great heat. Our houses are, generally speaking, on the open ground, no upstair rooms, and the doors are left wide open. There was an English mother who had the habit, when probably half asleep, of handing out her baby before daybreak to the ayah, to administer to its wants and cares. One morning, this poor mother, all but asleep, felt, as she thought, the cold touch of the ayah (the native nurse), and handed out the baby; but it was a wolf that was there. We are asleep, my friends. That mother lost her reason when the dear little infant was thus destroyed; but in our sleep and in our slumber we lose one child after another by handing them over to Rome—to the wolf that destroys them. Oh, let us awake!—W. Ayerst, M.A.
Steel Lace.—A new branch of industry is going to revolutionize the lace trade. A New York dealer in laces is exhibiting a specimen of lace of an extremely delicate pattern, and so light that it can almost be blown away by a breath of air. This lace is made of steel rolled as fine as the point of a cambric needle. It is not woven, but stamped out of a sheet of low grade steel, so that it should not be too brittle. It was turned out of a small Pittsburgh mill, and sent to the dealer to show what could be done in that line. In the course of time other patterns will be made—heavier, perhaps, but certainly more tenacious than this piece. There is said to be no question as to its durability, and its cheapness would make it the most saleable of all laces in the market. It may create a revolution in the lace market, if rust can be guarded against.—Iron.
Sulphur for Sore Throats.—The value of sulphur in throat difficulties is but little known among families, though most physicians prescribe it in some form. An ordinary sore throat will be relieved by a gargle of sulphur and water—one tablespoonful to a glass of water, and use frequently. In every family the flour of sulphur should be always kept ready for use, and at the appearance of irritation or cankered spots, a gargle should be given, or the powder blown through a paper tube directly into the throat. At different times we have seen the throat trouble relieved in a few hours by the simple use of this valuable remedy. A sore throat is no trivial thing, and no time should be lost in the matter. If, after discovering it in a child, it does not improve in a few hours' time after the use of sulphur, a reliable physician should be called in without further delay.
The Queen Regent of Spain opened the International Exhibition at Barcelona on Sunday, May 20th, in the presence of a distinguished assemblage, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince George of Wales. Perhaps this was done as a set-off against our Protestant commemorations.
Oh, England! England! blush with shame!
Thy princes stoop to foul thy name.
The present spring has been remarkable for the number of rare birds that have appeared in this country and on the Continent. These include the golden oriole, pied flycatcher, sand-grouse, dotterel, hoopoe, short-toed lark, moustached grass-warbler, and rose-coloured pastor. In spite of the Wild Birds' Protection Act, many of these visitants are shot immediately upon their arrival. It is only in rare cases that the police interfere, even when the killing of the birds is a matter of notoriety.
Hay Fever.—Sir Morell Mackenzie has opportunely published a lecture he delivered some time ago at the London Hospital Medical College on hay fever, which he defines to be a peculiar affection of the mucous membrane of the nose, eyes, and air passages, giving rise to catarrh and asthma, almost invariably caused by the action of the pollen of grasses and flowers, and therefore prevalent only where they are in blossom. With regard to the treatment of this disease, Sir Morell Mackenzie believes the first thing to do is, to remove the patient from a district in which there is much flowering grass, a sea voyage being probably the most perfect satisfactory step that can be taken. Patients unable to go to sea should reside near the coast, while dwellers in towns should avoid the country, and those who reside in the country should make a temporary stay in the centre of a large town.
Extraordinary Raffle for Bibles.—A curious custom was observed in the Parish Church of St. Ives, Hunts, on May 23rd. Dr. Robert Wilde, who died in August, 1678, bequeathed £50, the yearly interest of which was to be expended in the purchase of six Bibles, not exceeding the price of 7s. 6d. each, which should be "cast for dice" on the Communion table every year by six boys and six girls of the town. A piece of ground was bought with the £50, and is now known as "Bible Orchard." The legacy also provided for the payment of ten shillings yearly to the vicar for preaching a sermon on the occasion "commending the excellency, the perfection, and divine authority of the Holy Scriptures." This singular custom has been regularly observed in the church since the death of the testator, but representations having been made to the Bishop of the diocese, the practice of throwing the dice on the Communion table was discontinued some years ago, and the raffling now takes place on a table erected at the chancel steps. The highest throw this year (three times, with three dice) was thirty-seven, by a little girl. The vicar (the Rev. E. Tottenham) preached a sermon from the words, "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures."
Antiquarian Discovery.—During some excavations on the premises of Messrs. Walker and Sons, Otley, Yorkshire, a mass of human and other bones, bears' claws, flint, charcoal, and burnt slates or tiles, was turned up with the subsoil, and among the débris, at a depth of nearly eight feet from the modern soil level, six copper and bronze coins and a lead seal were found, several of the coins being in a good state of preservation. Some of the letters on the coins are worn, but it appears certain that some of the coins are of great antiquity. The seal is of more recent date. Seals like the one found were attached to the Papal bulls, and as this specimen has the usual aperture through its diameter to allow of the connection of the bull with the seal being made, there is no doubt that this was so attached to a document of this character. In years past the archbishops had a palace at Otley, and it is conjectured that this is one of the many seals used in the manner indicated. The seal in question bears authority from Pope Innocent IV., who occupied the Papal chair from 1243 to 1254. On the obverse are the Roman capitals "SPA., SPE.," standing respectively for St. Paul and St. Peter. Immediately below are the heads of those saints in relief, a cross in the middle dividing them. On the reverse are the letters "INNOCENTIVS PP IIII."
Colchester.—St. John's Green Chapel Sunday School.—The anniversary services in connection with this school were held on Sunday and Monday, May 27th and 28th. The sermons on the Sunday were preached by the Minister, Mr. W. Brown. On the Monday, the usual gathering of teachers, friends, and scholars was well attended, when suited addresses were given, and prizes awarded to many of the scholars for regular and punctual attendance. Sixteen gained prizes for good essays on "The Life of Joseph." The balance sheet for the last year showed the receipts to be £18 14s. 1d., and the expenditure to be £23 10s. 3d., leaving £4 16s. 2d. due to the treasurer. The amount received on Sunday and Monday was £11 6s. 9½d. There are now 187 scholars and 15 teachers in the school, 23 scholars and three teachers being added during the past year.
THE WOUNDED DRUMMER-BOY.