CLIPPINGS.

Evening Star, Issue 3110, 6 February 1873, Page 3

CLIPPINGS.

Yu will alway notis one thing : the devil never goes into partnership with a bizzy man: but you will often see him offer tew jine the lazy, and furnish all the capital.— BWinys. Chops for Two: “I once called,” said Theodore Hook, “on an old lady, who pressed me so urgently to stay and dine with her that, as I had no engagement, I could not refuse. On sitting down, the servant uncovered a dish which contained two mutton chops, arid my old friend said, ‘ Mr Hook, you see your dinner,’ ‘ Thank you, ma’am,’ said I, ‘ but where’s yours ?’ ”

Says the Spec at or: —"A lady, whose letter is published in the Tima, gives an interesting though somewhat sensational account of an accident in the Mont Ceuis tunnel on the 6th October. The French train was ju*t in the centre when it ran in'o a goods train—which had, we presume, been delayed bji overloading, the amount of goods traffic being amazing—the engine hurst, temporarily destroying the perfect ventilation of the tunnel, and 'several’ passengers for were killed. The remainder were detained live hours without light and with insufficient air, ami iu momentary expectation of injury from engines sent for their relief, an expectation shared by the officials. The train was at last extricated, and the accident, ofQoqr.se, was no -worse than anji- other tunnel accident; but so deeply had the imagination of the passengers been struck by the horror of being crushed in the centre of the earth, as it were, that when they arrived again at Modane, women fainted, men wept, and many of both sexes were too prostrated to walk, and will not recover for months. As it chanced, the present writer passed through the tunnel exactly four hours before the ap.r. cident. The distance was traversed in twenty-one minutes, and so perfect was the absence of smoke or smell that the windows were never closed.”

The following incident in the life of is related by his biographer :—One incident which occurred during the progress of the Cracow and Lemberg line is too curious to be omitted. A large sum of money had to be paid on a certain day to the workmen, who could not be reached except by passing through a tract of country occupied by the Austrian and Prussian armies, then engaged in the campaign of 18o(i, There was nothing for it but to put a rickety old engine upon the line, for the regular engines had all been seized, and run for it, taking the chance of being shot by tfie patrols of each army alike. Ofcnheim, Mr Brassey’s Austrian agent, undertook the perilous duty ; but who was to drive the engine, especially considering that it was on the cards that the rails themselves might have been damaged? “If you will come,” said Ofenheim to the reluctant driver, “ I will give you so many hundred florins, and if you are killed, I will [provide for your wife and family.” Thus tempted, the man agreed, and they dashed through the outposts of Prussians and Austrians who were too much amazed to think of firing at them. The story reached the ears of the' Austrian Emperor, who sent for Ofeuhcira, and asked him, “Who is this Mr Brassey, for whom men are to be found who work with such zeal, and risk their lives?” After hearing what Ofenheim had to say, the Emperor forthwith sent Brassoy the Cross of the Iron Crown.