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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 39, 30 August 1864, Page 3

A Falkirk Advertisement of 1829. — The following will doubtless be read with some interest. Such an antiquated gem, in its way, is too good to be lost : — " Gude News ! — Willie Christie tells them wha dinna ken, that he has a publik hous, beside tlie bra new steeple in the guda toun o' Fakirk, whaur he keeps the best o' stuff, gude nappy Yill frae the best o' Bruar's (an Aken's Strang will gie place to nane) . Porter frae Lonnan o' a' sorts, an some haine made. Wlmsky as gude as any i' the toun, and o' a' strengths ; and for cheapness ekwul to ony that's gaun. Jinger Beer in muckle bottles at saxpence, aud Sma' Beer for 3 bawbees out o' the hous, an tippence the bottle int. Toddy cheap and unco good, if its o' his aiu makin'. Pyes made frae the best o' gikkets and gude carse floure (in prime eatin order) frae 8 i' the morning till maist eleven at night. Tarts, short bread, and spunge at ony time. Rowth o' a kinds o' far awa drink, sic as rum, gin, brandy, and shrub. l±W Entry frae the north and south up ac stare ; and frae the wast straught in at the laigh door, whaur they mak the pyes." Lame Preachers. — We place a seventh part of our comfort and higher entertainment at the mercy of the Church, and it is really too bad that she should' let loose upon us a set of performers mentally lame and blind. It is worse than if the bailies were to commit the keeping of the town to wooden-legged policemen, or the Horse Guards to recruit the artillery from Chelsea Hospital. We are quite at one with a certain stiff old Moderate of last century — " What were ye before ye gaed to college, my man ?" said he to a feeble applicant for pulpit honors. " I made heather-rainges." " And what made ye leave sic a fine business ?" ''To glorify God." " Aweel. my man, yell better gang awa back and glorify God i' the makin' o' a wheen mair heather-rainges." It is to bo feared, however, that this Spartan spirit of discipline has fallen into decay throughout the Presbyteries. — Scotsman. A Musical Prodioy at Sens. — The Cafe, au institution so dear to Frenchmen, flourishes even in this little city. One night I went with a friend to a cafe here, and heard something .lew. We had hardly been there five minutes when our talk was interrupted by a shrill sound, so strange as to startle us all, and break at once the varied threads of at least twenty conversations, What could it be ? In continued like the warbling of a nightingale, and then burst into a wild sad melody, softly and tenderly executed, as if on a flute. Still we felt that it was uot a flute, nor yet a bird. It came, apparently, from a youth seated at a little table by himself in the cafe. He was playing upon Ids hands, using no other instrument. He went on, and executed several airs from well-known operas — at first with taste and truth, then, afterwards, when he got tired, he began to play out of tune. Still it is very wonderful to be ablo to make so efficient a musical instrument *ut of one's two hands. The young man turned out to be a Portuguese, called Ferreira. He does not wliistle at all ; it is pure flute-playing. The notes are produced on the left hand, and he plays upon it with liis right. The four fingers of the left hand are opened like the letter V — two fingers on each side. The mouth is inserted in tho opening, so that the tips of the fingers come near the eyes. The thumb of the right hand is placed on the palm of the left, and the fingers play freely, as it seems, in the air ; but they affect every note. If the reader attempts to produce, a musical sound that way he will probably fail, but Ferreira produces two octaves and a-half. His fortissimo is tremendously strong, and liis pianissimo as faint as the distant warbling of a lark. Has musical art is very unequal ; he soon tires himself, and, when tired, loses precision. Ferreira intends to visit Londoii aftor Paris. Perhaps some English Barnum may make money of him ; lot ub hope, titofor hia, r-^Maem&ltm'i Magazine.