MISCELLANEOUS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2660, 29 September 1881, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Ella Wheeled in poetry nays “I often dream of love, holy as the moonlight on a grave.” We should like to know if moonlight on a grave is any more holy than moonlight on a woodshed roof. , „, Mexico is now being “opened up by railways, chiefly carried on by American, that is United States, companies as business speculations. 40,000 men are bow employed bn various lines. _ It is asserted by Sir Gardner Wilkinson that Egyption mummies have been discovered with teeth stopped with gold. There is nothing,new under .the Charwoman —»“ Please tell me, sir, what I’m owing ye for yer visits. Doctor —“ Oh, my good, woman, never mind about that. I never make any charges in such cases as yours. Charwoman (hesitatingly)—" Thank ye, sir, kindly ; but who's to pay the chemist s hill?” ' A couple of lawyers engaged in a case wdre recently discussing, the issue. “At all events,” said the jmunger and more enthusiastic, “ we have justice on side” To which the older and warier replied-" Quire true ; hut what we want is thediiet Justice on our side.’ Lord Kimberley, presiding at the Norfolk Agricultural Association at Wymondliem, pointed out that tor fanners t o°el,eer tile cry of Protection was absurd, because it was absolutely certain the (nod of the country woold never wain he taxed K Protection were introduced in manufactures agriculturists would boy and consume taxed goods, while they would sell untaxed produce. But no protected tariff that could be framed for our enormous trade would hoid water. In order that capital might be attractea to the soil, he would give the tenant security for his capital, and would also repeal the laws of entail and primogeniture.

The average English and American brain is said to weigh 45.7 ounces; French 44.6; German, 44.1; Italian, 44; Negro, 40.5.

“ And they were all taking so unkindly of you, dearest Louisa, and ’’ ’And what were they saying ?” “Saying that you painted your face ; and I told them that it was untrue, and that your color was only erysipelas." New Jersey steps right to the front tufd pffers her, annual snake story; with commendable assurance..... A paper in that State says“'A few days ago out in thp school house grove a snake attempted to swallow a frog, and about the time it had the hind legs well started down its throat the frog caught the snake’s tail in its month and began to swallow. The result was, each disappeared down the other’s throat, and nothing was left of either. If anyone doubts this statement we can show him the grove. Lefroy, who is accused of the horrible murder on the English railroad, has entitled himself to favorable consideration by refusing to plead insanity. His case is a desperate one; but he persistently declares that he would rather be hanged than he called a fool. It may be that he has adopted the shrewdest line of defence possible. In a time when the insanity plea is all the rage the man who : refuses to use it stands an excellent chance of being found insane by an intelligent jury. Even if he should be convicted, he will hardly be executed. The possession of such a curiosity as a murderer who proclaims himself sane ,is an honor which Great Britain will hardly care to lose.—“ Detroit Free Press.” A yonng man in Chicago was found dead in bed the day after New Year’s Day, and the supposition was that he had committed suicide by poisoning; but, npon analysing the contents of his stomach, nothing but the following was found in it i— Pickles, pound cake, lemonade, cold turkey, beef, fried oysters, cold punch, ham sandwiches, sponge-cake, beef-tea, mince pie, champagne, ■ lobster, game pie, fruit-cakes, tea, chicken salad, whisky, coffee Bologna sausage, .port, cheese, sardines pickled turnip, and boiled crows. The jury returned a verdict of died through the visitation of friends.”

Muddles in law matters are not confined to New Zealand. The High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh has recently given a proof of it. A prisoner was convicted of perjury on December 24 last. The clerk in making the entry called it the 23rd, and on finding out the mistake he had made, altered it to the 24th ; and in the opinion of the High Court of Justiciary of Scotland the fact of a perjurer after solemn trial being found guilty of the crime charged against him is rendered null and void by a clerk haring changed a figure of 3 into 4; and the convicted perjurer is no doubt to his own great surprise, let loose. It might be interesting to the Justiciary if they could hear the convict’s candid opinion of their decision.