THE REWARD OF CURIOSITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 62, 4 March 1876, Page 4

THE REWARD OF CURIOSITY.

— ■ — — I A.n amusing circumstance, says tbe Glasgow Weekly Mail, took place a few days ago nt a private lunatic asylum near Warrington. On the morning of the day upon which tbe occurrence took place this asylum was thrown open to visitors. Amongst the visitors was one who oould not be said to have been impelled on hia journey either by pity or curioßity, for he was none other than John Black, a carter, and a gentleman perfectly unknown to fame, who had been deputed by his employers to supply the asylum with a load of coal. John delivered his load honorably at tbe side door of the establishment, ae.d, of course, presented his •* weight note." For Ihe consummation of the usual formality, John was desired to wait, and being left to himself, the aforesaid philoeophic mind began to ruminate about " tbem poor chaps inside," till John came to the firm conclusion that he could never rest satisfied till he had seen something at least of the goings on in the interior, and seen for hims.lf how a lunatic looked chained up in his cell. Black, seeing no one near to oppose his entrance, slipped through the door, up a little flight of stairs, along a lobby, and hearing some one coming, popped slyly into a little chamber witb bars across the window, which fortunately opened as soon as he touched the handle. John waited, and as soon as he thought all was safe, moved to go out; when, s'range to say, and terrible to behold, John found it was easier to go in than out, tbe place of his incarceration being in reality a lunatic cell, which opens on the outside but is by no means so obliging to the queer people on the inside. John pulled and tugged at the door till he began to perspire, and, we fear, swear dread- j fully; then be took off his coat and set to work at the door again, but alas! it only ended ia perspiring aud swearing in a manner more dreadful. What was to be done? John bad evidently seen quite sufficient of the establishment, and his only thoughts now were how to free himself. Just as be was debating whether to raise the building with his cries, at the risk of being complained of and probably dismissed by his employers, a pbilanthropically disposed old lady and gentleman, who had called to inspect tho lunatics Ibat morning, came Blowly and sorrowfully upon the scene. Tbey looked in through the bars. John Bcruiinise _ tbem with a ruH.ul countenance. " This, I suppose," remarked the gentleman, continuing his observations to his fair compunion, wbo was evidently much impressed with the seene — " This, I suppose is a patient suffering from melancholia — a very sad case indeed." " Would yer 'aye the kindness to open us the door, sir," broko in John with as bland a smile as possible under the circumstances. The lady shrank back with a slight cry of terror, but her companion immediately reassured bir with a " Don't be at all frightened, my dear. Yeu see it's absolutely impossible for them to get out in consequence of the admirable arrangement which" "Open us the door, sir, will yer? I'm in a hurry," appeals John, trying to keep good tempered, and fearing that every noise he heard was tbe warder's footstep. " Ab, poor fellow," ejaculated the gentleman, " you see at thia momeut he appeal s perfectly sane and quiet — to-morrow, alas! he may be raving." "Raving be — — " roared the carter, now out of all patience. " I'm not mad — I'm the man that brought the coals." " You hear him ? Coals, lt is evident he has occasional gleams of remembrance, which, doubtless, soothe him in his affliction. I suppose now he sold coals sometimes, and " " Are you going to let me out ?" shrieked John, now raving like a veritable maniac, and tearing fiercely at the bar " I tell you I brought the coals this morning." " He's getting violent,

you see, already. As the poet says, ' sad rememberance floating o'er the ■■■ '"' "If you don't believe me, you fools, go and see the horses outside— go and see the horses!" yelled the afflicted prieoner, pointings wildly down the passage. " Dear me, what a dreadful sight. He's tearing his hair. Uahappy creature. But come along, my dear, I fear our presence only makes him worse," and nothwithstandiug John's entreaties to he let out into the world once more, they left, perfectly convinced that they had seen a most interesting specimen. Ten minutes afterwards a warder was .attracted by a noise, and on repairing to the place, found our friend John clinging to the bars aod bellowing, amidst groans' and tears, *• I'm the man that brought the coals."

« I. I , II ML ," ___■ The ignorance of the New South Wales justices of the peace is proverbial. Lately a constable was fined £5 for assaulting a woman; but on the same evidence in another court, under the Barne roof, the Bides being reversed, the sides being reversed, the woman was fined £2 10s 6d for assaulting the constable. The N. Z. Times of Wednesday says : — Wiltshire last night commenced at Berger 's old shop, Lnmbtoo-quay, hie task of walking 250 miles in 100 hours. The feat as he performs it is far more difficult than might appear from the wording of his advertisement. Instead of walking at top pace for a number of hours, and then taking rest for an equal time, he walks two and ahalf miles every hour, so that during the 100 hours he does not have a continuous rest. He commenced at seven o'clock, and did the first two miles and a-half in 24 minutes, the second in 26 minutes, and the third in 25 minutes, so that his average time is about 25 minutes. Mrs Wiltshire also walked at intervals, doing a mile in about 12 minutes, excellent time, especially seeing that the cumbersome dress she wears muoh impedes her progress. Both are evidently very accomplished walkers, possessed of wonderful powers of endurance, and fully deserve the large amount of patronage which was bestowed upon them last evening. A story is told of a party that sat down to the first pound of tea lhat ever came from Penrirb, It was sent as a present, and without directions bow to use it. They boiled tbe whole pound at onoe in a kettle, and sat down to eat the leaves with butter and salt ! It is added that these primitive teadrinkers called it " foreign greens," wondered how any person could ever like such a diet. An American writer, dating his letter from Gibraltar, Bays : — "' The more I see of Gibraltar, the less I wonder at the tenacity with which it is held by England, and the dislike the Spaniards bave for the tenure of the place. Tbe strength of the position is something wonderful. Nature and military art seemed to bave worked together in making ' Gib ' as invulnerable as it is possible to be. Nor does the Engineer Department allow modern progress to pass unnoticed. Of the cannon there are some fifty or sixty about to be changed for others of a much heavier calibre. Even as it is, the army of men has never yet lived, nor haa one of the fleets of ships yet been built, that could for two hours withstand the withering fire of the guns now in position on various parts of the rock." We have fished. for rats with a hook and line, and yanked them from tbe bole ecreaching and screaming in a lively manner. If you have plenty of time aod you have got plenty of rats about the house, just take a hook and attach a light wire five or six inches long to it, then attach a stout string to the wire, and, baiting your hook with n small piece of tough meat, ait down near a rat hole with your hook in the hole under the floor, and see how the goose flesh will break out on you when you get a bite. And when you feel that the rat is hooked, the goosefießh will give way to prickly heat as you pull the yelling rodent out into daylight and slap him against something hard to remind him that you are master of the situation. Try it, and see if the rat don't make it lively for you for a couple of minutes.