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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 69, 21 March 1877, Page 4

During the polling for the London School Board, a ratepayer arrived breathless and in a state of great excitement at one of the polling-stations in Hackney, and said. " I want to vote for a woman." "Ah I" said a friendly voice, "I suppose you mean Misa Miller ?" "No," says the ratepayer, that's not her name ; let me sit down and think. I saw it ou a placard as I came along. (Tbioks aloud.) I have it. Poll Early ; that's her ?" Dr. Jttnssen is devising the construction of an automatic ptiotograhic revolver, which will take a photograph of tie sun every tour each dcy of the year, from sunrise to sunset. The photographs which will be taken under cloudy conditions will be useless so far as eunspots are coocerne I, but they might be utilised for tneteorogicwl purposes. The others will be kept find tabulated. The advantage of this plau is that it will dispense with any observer, and will obtain a mechanical regularity. A communication will be made very shortly to the Academy of Sciences on the invention which was suggested by the discussion on the transit of "Vulcan." It will be set to work in the physical observatory of Dr Jttassea,

A paragraph is going the round of the papers just now about a little nephew and niece of the late Charles Dickens, who are only k«pt from the workhouse at Amboy, Illinois, by a i poor old couple who have found the children a home Bince iheir mother died,, pearly everybody who reads this paragraph gushes over and says, "What a pity I what a shame! that the poor little children of such an uncle should be allowed to be fed, lodged, and clothed by the charity of : strangers." Yet the same paragraph goes on to state that their late father was a drunken, unprincipled scoundrel, who deserted hie wife in England when she lost her eyesight, and eloped wifh a school girl to America. As he was a brother of the great novelist, however, interest was brought to bear, and a good billet was found him in tlie Land Department of the Illinois Central Railroad. But he spent his money a? fast as he got it, sponged on hia brother and everybody else within reach, got discharged from hia billet for misconduct, atd at length deserted his second wife and the two children above referred. He sponged hia way through ..the States, and to Australia, here his brother's great reputation being his only capital;, but it was sufficient; it procured him free quarters in every town and township he visited; pound notes, half sovereigns, halfcrowns, and unlimited drinks at bush public houses — for the poorest bushman had known and appreciates Charles Dickens. This Augustus Dickens was at Brisbane here for a few days twelve or thirteen years ago, I remember, a bloated, shabby, dirty loafer. He died a pauper and an outcast — as he was bound to be in spite of fate and ail the help of all the people in the world. The poor victim whom he seduced and took to America with him, lived in utter misery for a number of years, and then poisoned herself, and her two children have been with this old couple at Amboy, Illinois, ever since. The " pity " and the " shame " of the whole matter is that such a man should Ond people foolish enough to show him kindness of which he was unworthy— simply because his brother was a great genius. It is the best thing that could happen to the two children at Amboy, Illinois, that they are not under the blighting iofluence of such a father; and it will be tlie worse thing (hat could happen if they are deluded into the idea that because their uncle was a great and gifted man, therefore they have a claim on the reading public of the whole world, and ought not to be compelled to earn their bread by hard, honest work. The sooner we learn to call things by their right names the better.— «• Bohemiaa "in the Queenslander. Under the heading "Our Godless Schools," the following letter signed "Parent" appeared injtbeAuckland £>tar of a recent date: — No apology is needed to an Editor who takes an unfair advantage of his position over a correspondent. But to Parents this explanation may be given: that their are scores with the writer who now are feeling deeply on behalf of the rising generation aid our country's weal, in the matter of a totally Godless education. Such are loyal citizens and foremost to uphold and maintain good order and Government. They appreciate the present successful system of secular education as far as it deserves to be appreciated. But there is a woeful deficiency they deeply regret — a deficiency which is already bearing its bitter co sequence*. The cause of this is the shutting out of the only infallible guide and standard of right aud wrong — God'a Word. This ia the "hateiul association'* belonging to the present otherwise excellent system. The Education Act, however, allows and eo- j courages the use of this book at all schools after school hours, and that there shall be no hindrance put forward is all that is aekafl; deminded, and expected. God's Word is free to every child; his birthright; as free as pure air: and it amounts to an unbearable injustice, that makea blood boil, when hindrances are attempted to be placed in the way of that Book, without which mau is but an intelligent animal. If there ara men opposed to this book, let them not attempt to rob, or influence others to rob our children of having in a perfectly lawful manner (after school hour.-) what is pure, safe, and everlisting, because their own taste or opinion may differ. The subject is a vital one, and there can be no surrender. This stir for our Heaven-given right may be termed enthuiasm, or anything besides. Be it so. Tnere is much need when corner stones are being touched. Awoke! awake in time Parents, . to this momentous question. Severe. — •' A Bristol poultry dealer has been fined for kissing a young woman." This seems bard on a man who considers he has t» perfect right to deal with ducks, and who doubtlese takes out a licence for a little game. — Fun. Scrupulous. — We are informed that Alt Bright (eels so strongly on the Kasieru Qj«stious that he has declined io preside at his own dinner-table on Christmas Day, as he will not help Turkey under any circumstances. — Fun.

FtoßitiNß !•— For the Teeth and Breath — ; A few drops of th« liquid •' Floroline " sprinkled on a wet taof'-brush produce a pleasant lather, which thoroughly cleanses the teeth from all pnraeites and imp trities. httrdtns the gums, prevents tsrtar, stops dec*?, gives to the teeth a peculiar pearly whiteness, and a delightful fragrance to the breath. . It removes ail unpleasant odor ; arising from decayed teeth or tobaeco amokt. "The Fragrant Floriline," being composed in part of hiney and sweet , herbs, is. delicious to -the taste, and the greatest toilet discovery of the age. 1 Sold everywhere at 2s. 6d. Prepared by Henry C. Gallop, 493 Oxford-street London. 1091