MISCELLANEOUS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 658, 27 November 1874, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Bank of England was incorporated in 1040. It covers five acres of ground, and employs nine hundred clerks. There are no windows looking on to the street, light is admitted through open courts. No mob could therefore take it without cannon to batter down the walls. There is a clock in the centre of the hank which has fifty dia s attached to it. Large cisterns are sunk m the court, an 1 engines are always in perfect readiness in case of fire. A learned clergyman avas accosted in the following manner by an illiterate preacher who despised education : “ Sir, you have been to college. I suppose “ Yes sir was the reply. “I am thankful rejoined the former that the Lord opened my mouth without any learning.’’ “ A similar event retorted the gentleman, “ took p'aoe in Balaam’s time ; but such things are of rave occurrence at the present time. Old Starkcs, an honest German, had a farm about three miles from the village of Naples on the Illinois River and like most of his countrymen who settle in this country, was great on garden truck, butter, eggs, etc., which he carried regularly to the town to sell or barter for family supplies. One day ho came in as usual, and Peter Critser, the storekccp A r, thinking to get a “saw” on the old man, said— “ well Starks, got some mo'-e eggs ?” “ Yah, I have a few.” “I paid you a bit for the last, said Critser, “ but we have resolved to give only ten cents in future ” “Y-a-h. Vel', mine hens the.y have a meeting, ” replied Starks, “ an dey resolves wot they won’t wear ’emselves out layin' eggs for less than feoftcen shents !” and the old man stalked off, leaving Peter to stand the laugh of the croud A Chinese writer thus describes an English Court“ One man sits silent, and sometimes shakes his head, two or three others alk all the time, and twelve wise men condemn a man who has not said a word.”