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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 104, 6 May 1867, Page 3

The Paris correspondent of the Dublin Evening Post writes the following sad tale: — Much sympathy is expressed in the Lyons country papers for the fate of a young and rising musician, who at the last conscription was unfortunate enough to draw a mauvais nuwero, and he was sent ont to join a regimeDt quartered at Vera Cruz. He was at once employed in the band. In consequence of his good conduct Benoit Denis succeeded in obtaining the colonel's permission to perform at private balls and concerts, and thus gain a certain independence. On the sth of last December, Benoit Denis, after executing a fantasia on the cornet-a-pistous at the country house of a wealthy American merchant residing near Vera Cruz, quitted the heated concert room to refresh himself in the pleasure grounds and enjoy the cool evening air. Feeling thirsty he took up an alcaraza which he happened to see near a fountain, filled with fresh water, and put it to his lips. Frightful screams . instantly attracted the company to the spot. Denis was lying on the earth, his hair on end, his features livid, the body and tail of a monster scolopender {centipede) protruding from his gaping mouth. The reptile, whose bite is more venomous than that of a scorpion, had talceu shelter from the heat in the cool porcelain beaker. As Benoit approached the vase to his lips the scolopendev had sprung at his throat. In v.iin was the reptile's body cut away. Once its fangs close on their prey it is impossible to tear them open. A surgeon who had chnnced to be among the guests, pi'oceeded to cut them out of the flesh, piece by piece, but by the time the operation was over, the poison had produced its fatal results, and after three hours of agonising convulsions the unfortunate young artiste expired. The London Gazette lately contained the following startling notice of application for a patent : — '• Frederick Maunder, of Barnstable, for an invention for preventing the recurrence of periods of excessive speculation and panic !" Facts should always be stated in black and white. Anything written in red ink of course appears ink-red-ible (incredible).

Oue of the congratulatory achievements of the year by England is as grand, as Important, aud as wonderful as any that has been done elsewhere. The largest ship in the world has joined the two hemispheres by a vrire 2000 miles long; and it and other British vessels searched for and drew up from the lowest depths of the Atlantic another cord that all but a few earnest and sagacious men had looked upon as irretrievably lost. This is a contribution to the world's victories which may be triumphantly set against Prussian military glory, for it is a revolution by which no oue is overthrown or humiliated — a victory that will prove of advantage to every commercial uatiou, and one that has not been won by blood.

An excellent story of tbe Pope has been circulating through tbe clubs of London. His Holiuess is said to have thus touched off the heads of our Liberal party, recentLy resident at Rome : — "Lord Clarendon," observed Flo Nono, "I like and understood. Mr. Gladstone I liked, but couldn't understand. The Duke of Argyll I understood, but didn't like. Lord Russell I didn't like and didn't understand." The story may be of English concoction ; but if so, it is au admirable imitation of Italian descriptive wit. If really of Roman origin, it may be coujecturally ascribed to the chief of au iUustrious ducal house,, whose pasquinades are as pointed as his talk is brilliant and profound.

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