CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 387, 27 October 1868, Page 2

CHARLESTON NEWS.

I have been for some time anxious to call attention to the subject of a " reading room," a want I believe very generally felt in this town. It is a strange fact that in Charleston, which commands such a thriving and compara-

tively wealthy population, an instituot' the sort is not alroady in existence. I little doubt but that it would pay its promoters handsomely; Utile expense however, would be attached to making the experiment on a small scale, nor can a decent circulating library be found, and though this may be what Anthony Absolute calls "an evergreen

free of diabolical knowledge," I only wish we had a good one. There are a few places I believe, yclept circulating libraries, but in them no works of information can bo obtained beyond a few trashy old novels. A reading room however would be a more desirable

acquisition. Institutions of the sort have paid in towns of an equal if not inferior population, and I do not see any reason why one should not pay in this. There arc in this district many who lavishly squander time and money where time should not be spent or money squandered, and who would only gladly embrace the opportunity a reading room would offer, to pay that that amount of attention to the culture and discipline of their minds, which would lay the foundation for such a taste as would lead them to seek for

enjoyment in moral and intellectual pursuits—such as leave no sting behind them. This would I think hi* a step in the right direction. The Vicar of Wakefield shows "how sweet books are, unreproaching companions to the miserable, and if they cannot bring us to enjoy life, they will at least teach us how to endure it. There can be little doubt but that the man who entirely neglects his culture and education, and suffers himself to grow up like a mere beast, leads a life useless to others and shameful to himself." A reading room would have a very beneficial effect, and I feel confident its projector would find in his Lexicon "no such word as fail." The prospecting association met on Saturday evening at the Melbourne Hotel, to hear the result of ihe town canvas. The actual sum contributed is about £7l, This is not fruitful evidence that the movement was embraced witn warmth. Surely the storekeepers ought to have paid out handsomely, as in the event of some new ground being opened, they would be among the first to derive benefit; but many of these did not contribute, and would not contribute anything, because they could not see the good of the movement! Other persons not storekeepers, refused to subscribe because certain individuals were ou the

Committee, and so on, equally ridiculous reasons were assigned for not contributing. Better were it to refund the sum collected to those who honorably subscribed, than to put the mining portion of the district to auv test

The precedent established by the town, id of too disheartening a nature to make any demand on the pockets of the miners. Many persons, perhaps foreseeing the poor result of the canvass, have already formed themselves into prospecting parties, and if not already departed, will immediately proceed to the ranges, with what result will not he known I presume for some time. There is one thing at all events certain, that if tracks were once cut, very little necessity would exist for any demand upon the pockets of those miserly storekeepers who refused to contribute to the movement. As it is, considerable difficulty must obtain in this respect, till the people and the Government take a strong pull, and a plul together, to remove those obstacles that are in the way of the prosperity of the district. A remark has often been made that " women are women's worst friends," uncharitable and malicious—an assertion, indeed, whose truth is only too sadly justified by events of almost daily occurrence. The remark, however true, receives a sad illustration from an event of only very recent date. It appears that on the night of the occurrence of the earthquake, a young girl had been serving in the bar of a hotel not far from town, and so terrified was she by the shock that she fell senseless on the floor. After a night .of anxiety and suspense, the mornpi"only brought the sad reality that her mind was considerably impaired. Since then she lies in a dangerous condition, and has had but little relief to her suffering. Notwithstanding that, the shock is assigned as the cause, there is, however, every reason to believe that it only accelerated t.ie malady, as she had been ailing considerably for some

time previous, owing to brooding over a certain slander cast upon her reputation by another female. Be this as it may, the fact, however, presents a very pitiful aspect, and be the malady tbe effect of earthquake or slander (aud most probably the latter), in either case she is entitled to the charitable sympathy of the public. Women should ever remember that discretion in being tender of one another's reputation is a virtue that may atone for a great many faults. '

A man by the name of Cassidy was brought, on Friday last, before his Worship as a person of unsound mind, aud remanded till Monday for medical examination. Rumour has it that he lost his wits about a certain young lady in town. How far this is true it is not easy to determine ; at all events, he raves continually about her. The young lady in question is, I believe, the unknowing and innocent cause of his distress, and such, I have no doubt, as would scorn to play the fool.