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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1880-01-30, Page 1UARY 23, 1880. Mill111111.101111•111.W !ENTER GOODS; MEW. & CO. '0 XY OFFERING BARGAINS epartmeut of their Ilouse. Serer Better As - ,Ilan it is to-dag. Silks, Dress Goods,, Man-. inery, Hosiery, Gloves, rimmings and Staple s is unequalled in the Conaty. 4Y—New Trimmed Hats, 51, $1.95. $1,50. and up. %iver Bonnets and Hats O: up. „. 3-1-Varm Beaver Mantles ip. UlsterS-frona $2.50 up. Pattern Vantles positively Wrap Cloaks, Dolm_ans, , Co ODS—We are clearing ;.tire stook at prices which everybody that we carry lvertisemeuts to theyery : -MOst complete Stock we ed, atal at popular prices_ n this department amply ;- Warm Winter -Gloves, izx great Variety. S—Fancy Wool Goods, cheap. YOUR CLOTHING - DOUGALL & 00. he largest, stock to select ir goods are thoroughly finished, and their prices r cent. Jower than, thosef OUR SALE. rked dowu the whole of ,tock of Men's, Beye' end. jug., 7 Stvle Overcoats, beauti- Anished. This is the owu. Price, $6.75. !w Style I'Isters, newest. know this to be excel - rice, $7.50, ) WINTER SUITS. hundred Suits to select, newest and :best ma - from $,9.50 Up. 4N D YOUTHS'. lite(' in Boys' and Youths' eur esta.blishment.. Alf in stock, and the prices most economical; Call, .or yotirselves. *.scau-itts. Plain 4 Set Prices 0,61y. DUGM-L-:84 00.s and Dealers. in DRY }OM Only. e by both parties. At was ueelarecl to be the But love is certainly the this _ neighborhood al .01 our resident ministers • to unite in inarriaae no e couples during thbe past — Messrs. W. & G. hant tailors of Exeter, lilyth and are opening if goods. Tsb arrie. xcens,--At the meeting xvitsliip Council held on 4ier was elected Deputy J. Clark Wa.fi- reap.. :Jr. Thos. Heywood, as- ' ( 'pates, collector, and and James .Beer, andi- tisof the meeting will. • A gi fatuous, of the Star. urse;:Nit% F. Ham- , visited: us this week; Ls with him. it :brought ernory the scene enact- Jtdy,1378, When. we: (,f (}rang -omen rts (.).f Mon treal. We as to escape arrest&t tat pursued by the mob. etin nit assert the .::tptured and placed in zt, few hours." Where- Wingliam Times, re brought forcibly to :Co'lle enacted on the -Alontreal. We at the thne, being on -the daily papers, and ,,,ceeilings of the day. By procession, or any was there one. Nor b chasing the editor think that the editor ?-t IntAll a very elastic -1:e could not have -truth like he did in or - elf a lilt -of a hero.' n order. for Alick tiO The public must of this business! , THIRTE E NTH Y EAR . W±LOLT _NUMBER, 634. t SEAFORTH, O'NTAR I 0. HiIL )3R0O8. Having determined to clear out .otir • present Stock to make room for our largetSpring Purchases, we are offering GREAT I N DUCEM ENTS To Cash Buyers. Come along with the Money and we will show goods at SUCH LOW PRI 0 'ES That the very Closest Bayer will be . perfectly satisfied that or house is • THE RICHT PLACE TO BUY COODS. I - CHEAP DRESS GOODS. We are closing out a few lines of Oheap Dress Goods less than Cost. OUR MANTLE S • TOOK. The balance of our Mantle Stock must be sold , during the next two weeks. HATS, FLOWERS AND FEATHERS. Ladies' Trimmed Hats, Flowers and Feathers very cheap. ORDERED CLOTHING. _ Selling Fast. We take the Lead in Ordered Clothing. Every suit guaran- teed a Perfect Fit. READYMADE 0 LOTH I N G CITFAAPER, THAN EVER. A Fresh Stock ot Groceries Always on Hand. Remember the Place—Opposite the Commercial Hotel. . HILL BROTHERS, County Councils—Their Use- ess Not Gone, To the Editor of the Huron Expositor. SIB:• Would you allow me- through the columns of your valuable journal to give some reasons why in naly opinion it would be unwise to abolish the County Council? Fer the last few - weeks you have urged upon, the country the neces- sity of abolishing county councils, their usefulness being gone, and illustrated your position by the small amount of work now to be performed by the coun- ty council of Huron. Were you success- ful in obtaining the consent of the Gov- ernment to asstime all the taxes paid into the county treasury now collected from the people of Chtario, I would re- joice at such a burden being lifted from the shoulders of the People. The pro- bability of such a measure being carried. out - at present is, I fear, hopeless. Scarcely would the exchequer of the Pro- vince be able to bear such an addi- tional burdeu on its resources and. con- tinue the progress which this country "demands, for many years to come. If we are, however, to continue to be tax- ed at the rate of 050,000 per annum, or one-half that amount by an equalized assessment on each township according to its proportional° value, we niust have a sufficient oversight as to how that money iagoing to he expended. Each municipality naust have a representa- tive as long as they are separated, at whatever board may have control of this money. /The cendalization of power in the hands of the Local Government, so long as they paid the bill, we would. place in their hands without regret. But we could not place in their bands the power of appointing or fixing their salaries, while we directly paid for it. Althoughthe county council have not the power of appointing or removing county government officials, they some- times curtail the ex.pencliture by refus- ing to pay bills to which they are not entitled. They are, not removed so far above the people as they are in coun- tries where there are no free institutions ,such as the county colleen. However, the powers of township councils may be increased, they cannot be made to pos- sess the influence of the county council. Being a united. 'holy representing • a large number of municipalities with corresponding power, legislating in the interest of the people, the appointhaelit of public school inspectors being in, the hands of the people, or their removal, is a very important privilege which may be done now, but how could this be so well performed, if at all, by separate rcrunicinelities. How can they act at all in e dson unless by one representa- tive a. east from each municipality mean. as a body to consider the mat- ter? •_to is held that three commission- ers cau manage bridges, as they do as they please in the matter. The Coun- cil acted in the same manner .with the County Engineer, when his views were in accord with the majority of the eourcilebut not otherwise ; 'they would use the commissioners in the same Man- ner, if they proposed to construct any bridge of which the council did not ap- prove. The coriimissioners are practical meu, and understand bridge building as well as the late engineer did. But we might as well suppose the Government of Ontario not being required, as their pub- lic works are constructed wholly on the advice of their engineers. If there is to be a supervision at all by the councils interested, they must meet together, or a representative from each of them, and those who contribute the most to the funds must have a corresponding say in the' matter, as you correctly admit, which could be nothing else thau county council. Surely a local council could not authorize the comniissioners the kind of superstructure that was to b&built, and make the whole county pay for it? Therefore, the bridge diffi- culty is not dispelled. I do not think the country would suffer much by abol- ishing county councils as "training wheels for parliamentarians." But I doubt very much whether our present exzeilent representatives in the Local Legislature would have ever set in Parliament were there no such training school in. this county. There is no lack of that material, as aspirants, however,. whether they are trained in the county council or not. I am doubtful if the county council had no existence wheth- er our representatives at the present moment would not have been lawyers, doctors or others of that class which now swarm the Legislatures. It is ,doubtful whether that would have been in the interest of the people, although I fully ackuowledge them as being a very respectable and usefuLclass. If it is de- sirable to bring this change about, abolish the county council, and we shall very soon attain this object. The County council is useful in training a large number of men to take an interest in public matters more than they would otherwise, not only those who obtain seats there, but those who aspire to those positions naturally take an inter- est in becoming somewhat acquainted with public 'affairs, which is beneficial to the body politic. A man may be exeeedingly useful to his country though he may never set his foot in Parliament nor eVer expect to be there. Represen- tative meu meeting together, discussing matters that interest thecountry for two or three weeks, and. exchanging ideas on public matters is very bene- ficial, though I am not prepared to say Lt is of sufficient valve to the country to continue the expense of a county coun- cil. The county couiacil is the only representative legislative body of influ- ence in theeDominion.in which farmers are largely represented, and toA-hich- their wealth, intelligence and nunibers entitle them to a laage representation.. Abolish the comity council, and he influence they now possess s gone beyond redemption, at least very largely. Although a stray one may now and then possibly find his way into Parliament, yet if the comity coun oil is abolished, all the farmers Main -Street, Seaforth. SEAF9RTH itIDAY JANU RY 30, 1880. IVIcraEAN BROS.; Publishers. 1.50 a Yearin Advance. you will find there will be. few and far between. Many matters affect- ing the peorile are discussed in the council, althOugh they cannot give them legal ffect by their action, yet their re- ooniinJndations by petition to the Gov- erum nt often become law. Small mu - mem lities haveinot that influence pos- sessed by comatisis %ding in unison with other counties, and no Government can treat with indifference the united voice of counties demanding a reform. No man of intelligence looking into this matter, and giving it that eareful con- eideratibn which the subject deserves, can come to any other conclusion than that it Will be detrimeutel to the best interests of the rural districts and. give a corresponding influence in favor of those classes who already are overre- presented in the councils of the nation. You say the assessment rolls can be equalized by three or five men .appoint- ed by the local councils. There are not three or five men in the county who can equalize the assessment rolls to the satisfaction of the whole county. There may sometimes, but seldom, that the chairman of a committee may be vain enough to suppose there is need for no- body but himself, but those who are ac- quainted with county councils know that there is no body of men in °uteri° more independent than the county councils. They consider all matters intelligently, and look atter the inter- ests of their constituents. The selec- tion of a chairman of a committee is often a matter of accident, but there are a score of men at least in the present council who are as fit to he the chair- man of a committee as those who oc- cupy the position. Any three men, however honest, could not possibly equalize the assessment to the satisfac- tion of the townships. They could not know what proportion one township should bear to another, unless, indeed, as you say, a is doue by the chairman and one or two others according totheir ideas. The fact is, every one is care- fully watching the committee and com- paring properties with which they are acquainted. The Reeves are examined by the committee, and from the evi- dence they receive from _those interest- ed they base their equalization. .How could this committee of three obtain that e-vidence on which to base an in- telligent and just equalization. without some such means? This committee of three would come to grief and endless &infusion would_ be the result, giving employment to lawyers and a large number of ievitnesses, costing more in the end thatt the sum of 010 or $15 to each councillor. Unless county taxes are abolislied-4', altogether, we must have control of out. money, its expenditure and equalization, each municipality bearing a just proportion of taxes with other municipalities. Were taxes rais- ed in an indirect manner as revenue, it might work very well. But surely the iudependent electors of Ontario will never allow their rights to be trampled upon in this manner for the sake Of a few dollars. No doubt theee men could' do the work that the council is now do- ing; iiay, but one man OHM do the whole work of the council, equalize the rolls, grants to roads, authorize the -con- struction of bridges, consider petitions, appoint auditors, applications for High Schools or abolish them, salaries, coun- ty printing, poor houses, and. anything in fact now coming before the cciuncil. Decidedly this little Parliament woulct be composed of progressive, comprehen- sive men, and those narrow-minded men as they are often termed, who are economical- and careful of the public purse, will be forever blotted out of ex- istence. There • could be still more economy practised. The county clerk could do all the work that the council is now doing, probably for a little or no more salary. He would have precise- ly the same work to do then as now, as no doubt he would have to keep his own minutes. He is to be there while the council Is now sitting, write down all the proceedings, by -las,. reports of committees, read all communications, and in fact everything that is done by the Council. Of course the work would be done after a certain fashion and with the greatest care. But where is there a free people upon the face of the earth that.would submit to such aisystem ap- proaching to this, but would save all the expense of paying a county council ?- All the people of this Province would have to do would be to quietly and sub- missively pay their taxes, be happy and smile in blissful contentment that they Were not -taxed tot death by over legisla- tion. The Govertitnent of Ontario can be abolished in this same off -hand man- ner. The six members of the Govern- ment can do the whole legislation; whatever measures the Government bring down to the House are passed any- way. The whole machinery of Govern - 'meat can be kept in motion to perfec- tion, with an immense saving of money to the country. Three members for this county is entirely useless; one can do just as well, or none at all, and so on to the end of the chepter. Are the peo- ple of this cbuntry prepared. for this? Are they prepared to throw away their 'dearly bought iberties ? Have we for- , gotten our pas4 battles for self-govern- ment? Rem mber the cry now is that we are over go erned ; abolish the Lo- cal Legislature, the whble thing is a bill of expense to be rid of at the earliest opportunity. I trust you will pardon me for the length of my communica- tion. By inserting the above, you will oblige your obedient servant • A FARMER. GsBY, Unuary 19, 1880. =One Miss Symington, of Hamilton, who has had charge of the millinery department in the store of Mr. McFar- land, at Markdale, since October last, was suspected Of appropriating goods from he employer's store. - Her trunks were searched, when silks, lustres and miscellaneous goods, to the value of upwards :Of 0300, were found and re- cognized' and brought back to the store. lori re ry respe citing wonaau 'untaunished. for her friends, who table, tae misguided was aLowed to gi 0 nada. Brantford ha a "soup kitchen for the hitingry poor iu full oneration. —The by-law to raise the 11)20,000 necessary for bridging the Red River at Winnipeg has been carried. A phosphate farm Of 400 acres in qtt wa County has been sold to a Mon- t e 1 gentleman for $7,000. Father Stafford, of Lindsay, has gnirously contributed elm for the re- f of the suffering in Ireland. =Petitions are circulating in Essex and Kent for a canal from Lake St. Clair to La4 Erie at Two Creeks. —The attempt to open a coffee house in Loudon es a temperance measure hat fa led from leek of public iuterest. Mr. Jo n Hopkins, 2nd concession of Barford, has note three ewes with tine healthy lambs four weeks old. Several farmers in Bruce county h ve been taking advautage of the fine J nary weather tO do their spring plo A father, mother and son are at p sent confined in the -jail in St. T omas on a charge of thieving. They s d. to be a bad gang. The Village of Lueknow has no chanics' Institute, no Literary So- ci ty, no Debating Club, no—intelligeut :n,—we were :bout to add, but we r: rain. Mr. le H. Smith, of Strathroy, has sole his little setter bitch, Lass r o' G wrie to a gentleman in Philadelphia fo 0500. Who says raising good dogs d asn't pay. J. P. Wiser., M. P., sold last.- Fri - d y 1,000 head of cattle to Messrs. E liott, of, Kingston, and Morgan- of 0 hawa, all i:of which will be shipped to tli European markets. A N6va tcotia physician, Dr. - seph Clarke, of Cumberland county, ae identally poisoned himself on Sun - d: k night by taking dose of carbolic ac d. He died in an hour. Last week there were to be seen, the farm of Mr. Edward Fairless, concession, McGillivray,wild straw- o 7t be ay plants in blossom, and some of th in with the berry forming. —Persons who have lived close to L: Le Huron for the last fifteen years, have Uever, during all that time, known the lake to be so clear of ice at - this seasoni of the year as it is at present. —The town of Collingwood has con- structed new buildings to the value of 550,000 last year. The Presbyterian Church and an addition to the Col- legiate Institute are among the largest. —The Rev. T.. Atkinsdn,"` of Ailsa Craig, who fell and severely hurt his knee a few weeks eince, is still com- pelled to keep quietly in bed, not being able as yet to use that portion of his body. —Four young boys in St. Catharines have been sentenced to four years in the Reformatory Prison in Penetangui- shone for numerous larcenies which they have been committing for some time past. —Mrs. Fisher, wife of the editor of -the Parry Sound North Star; who was drowned in the Waubuno disaster, has entered an action for 020,000 damages against the Georgian Bay Transporta- tion Company. - —Kingston, Guelph and Brantford are moving in tae matter of relief for the distress in Ireland. Dundas hts- sub- scribed $800 to the above object which will at once be forwarded, while Toron- to has subscribed $1,250: —Considerable indignation is 'ex- pressed at the action of Mr,Ilwain, the market clerk of St. Cetharinesin charg- ing Mr. Hammond, the revivalist, $1 • for holding religious services on the market grounds on Saturday. —About 1,000 entries, and a good proportion from the -Melted States have been made for the poultry, dog and pet stock association exhibition now going en in Montreal. They will number about 300 more than last year. — Rev. T. V. Roy, the well-known converted Brahmin priest, was Monday night ordered off a street corner, in Cincinnati, where he was selling a patent tooth powder. In Toronto Roy once served three months for bigamy. , ' —Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise sailed from Liverpool for Canada in the steamship A'etrinatian on Thurs- dayeafternoon of last week. She was accompanied. to Liverpool by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh. —A fire broke out on Saturday night, the 17th inst., in a barn belonging to Mr. Wm. Bradley, lot 13, in the 3rd concession of Kincardine township. The building, including a threshing machine and other property, was entire- ly consumed. Property fully insured. —A sad drowning accident occurred about half a mile from Millpoint, Hast- ings County, Monday night. A young man by the name of. John Walmsley was going from that place to his home across the bay, when he broke through the ice and was drowned. He was 22 years of age. His ,body has been recovered. ' —Smallpox is greatly on the decrease in Ottawa. There are only 49 cases in the city, 27 being convalescent. This iS the report of the medical healti officer, who has, made a thorough i spection of all districts. In the course f a few weeks the Board of Health xpect to report that the city is entirely 'd of the loathsome disease. The rep rts from the first have been greatly exaggerated. :—Mr. McKay, late cashier of the Toronto Custom House, has taken up his residenee at Buffalo. ¥eantime the accounts of the suspended jcolleotor, have been thoroughly investig ted, but nothing further than the ori ilia defi- ciency of $20,000 has been uneartbed. Mr. John Turner was last wee at Ot- tewa in the interests of Mr. S 'th, try- ing to secure a settlernent,I but the Government gave no definite answer. It is un.derstood that the Government hold that the secur ties and bonds given by the collector are valid, and collect - Ole, and are sufficient to more than 4over the defaleation. —Henry ochill, an aged Russian, ho was lately removed te the city ospital in London with both feet Ilea 1 frozent has had•them amputated. • t e, instep. Although the old man h s assed a terrible ordeal, he is likely s rvive. —Such ha been the unprecedent d. mildness of 1he weather this winter that' "violets in January" are reported from different quarters. At Owen Sound, large bunchee are said. to be geowing in the garden of Mr. John McLean. —Three boys in Quebec were buried by a snow slide to the depth of ten feet. About ten minutes elapsed before they could be dug out. When found they were semi -unconscious and. black in the face from suffocation, but all three recovered. —Miss A. Cuthbertson, daughter of the Rev. Geo. Cuthbertson of Wyom- ing, who has been the organist of the Presbyterian Church in that town, was recently presented with a gold watch and chain and. purse of money by her friends. —A Cavan, Collector of Inland. Revenue, of Stratford,and J. H. Browne' nell, Collector of Customs, Kincardine, on Friday last, seized a small quantity of illicit whiskey, some malt and distil- lery utensils, in the township of Huron, county of Bruce. —A. barn belonging to Mr. E. Pritch- ard, in Westminister, was burned on Thursday night of last week with all its contents, consisting of a horse,sleigh, wagon, Harness, &c. Loss about $1,000. Incendiarism is suspected, as the barn had been locked upearly in the even- ing. _ —Mrs. Mary Ryan mother of Mr. W. H. Ryan, Reeve of dulph, aged 100 years and•21 days, buried at Lucan on Saturday, the 17th inst. Her re- mains were followed to the cemetery by 160 teams—the largest funeral proces- sion except one ever witnessed. in that —A,Cainsville family lately had. a large washing of blankets to do, and the hired girl accordingly procured. four quarts of soft soap for the purpose. Leaving it standing in a pail overnight, the man of the .house, by ti mistake, mixed bran with it and fed it to the cow. The cow still lives and the wash- ing was postponed for a week. —On Wednesday of last week, some benevolent ladies in Hamilton gave the old women at the House of Refuge a genuine treat which was much enjoyed. Tea was served and the tables fairly groaned under the substantials and delicacies supplied. The old. people were very grateful to their entertainers, who themselves must have felt the better of having performed , such a kindly act. —On New Year's day, one Mr. John McRae, living on the 8th concession of Kinloss, left his house with an axe in his hand, with, as waS supposed, the intention of chopping in ethe woods. That was the last seen or heard of him. The surrounding country has been searched, and enquiries made at differ- ent stations, but as yet no trace of him has been found. .—Mr. Geo. Haynes of West Nissouri, a short distance from St. Marys, died very suddenly on Friday morning last. He retired to rest as usual on Thursday evening, and as he did not get up to his breakfast his daughter-in-law went to his room, when she fctund him dead and cold, life having been extinct for some ;time. He was i4 his 72nd year, and had been suffering from heart disease, which probably was the cause of his death. - —A few days ago a young lady re- siding in a house on the other side of the Don, east of Toronto, noticed a loose board in the kitchen, and upon -:lifting it, found the decomposing body of an infant, supposed. to be the child of a servant girl who left the house sud- denly. The body was kept till night when it was thrown into an adjacent field, and as it was not found in the morning, it is thought to have been eaten by dogs. —Strathroy claims to have the smartest boy in the Province of Ontar- io. His name is Fletcher,Andrews, his age is ten years, and he has passed the recent examination far entrance to the High School. As he was the only pu- pil from the Strathroy Public School who succeeded in passing, we may con- clude that the cleverness of the school is concentrated in this young prodigy. His brother Alfred who passed the same examination three years ago at the age of eleven, was the youngest in the Province who passed at that time. ' —A Tiverton man was brought be- fore a local J. P. a short time ago, charged with having something to do with the forging .of a note. During the progress of the trial the prisoner watch- ed his opportunity and made a success- ful dash for liberty. The darkness of the night was in his favor, and he suc- ceeded in making good his escape. The last sight which the Tiverton rnag.,is- trates got of him was as his coati tails vanished into the darkness. The Tiv- erton coestable has firmly resolved to chain up the next prisoner that falls into his hands. —A few days ago a party of squaws called at a house in Kincardine with the view of disposing of some of their baskets. While two or three of the dusky maidens were trYing to persuade the lady to purchase, the eyes of an-. other member of the party espied a 'large cake on. the table, which had been prepared. with a good deal of care for a church social. • After the departure of the squaws the lady suddenly discov- ered that her cake had disappeared also. Suspicion at once rested on her late visitors. Her husband being ab- sent attending to his business, the lady resolved Single-handed to make the squaws disgorge. With this determina- tion in view she' gave chial, and was not long in overtaking the thieves, and after accusing then of the theft, and threatening all manner of tortures if the cake was not immediately restored, she had the satisfaction of seeing it produced: —The viL1age of Gananoque is in.great perplexity about its publie funds. Never before has the village collector experiencea so much difficulty in cob lecting the texeS as he has this year. Repeated calls and all sorts of -notices hame,failed to bring the money in many cases; and the result isi that there is no money in the treasury to meet the numerous demands upon it. —Mr. • Donald Stewart, seine time ago a resident of Parkhill, and who has been in British Columbia since 1875, has returned. He does not speak very encouragingly to intending immigrants to that Province, and although so far as his own fortunes were concerned, he has nothing to complain of, yet he thinks Ontario people are as well off, where they are as in the far west Province. —A building used as a drying or store house in the rear of Snowball's wagon. shop, Bt. George, was COUSUM- ed by fire recently; a stable adjoining, belonging to Dr. Kitchen was also de- stroyed with: it. The former was full of hubs and other wagon material, which was almost all lost. In a small stable in the rear of it a cow belonging to L. Myers was burnt. Origin of fire un- known. —Several cases of poisoning froni'l eating partridges kept too long after death have recently occurred, in Hali- fax, many of the victims having nar- rowly escaped from death. On Satur- day a gentleman while walking on the street was seized with sudden illness, -brotight on in this way, and fell to the ground, cutting his head badly. It is believed the poison. is caused by keep- ing 'the birds too long after they are killed. —Several emigrants now at the sheds in Toronto are in destitute circumstan- ces, and on the verge of „starvation. They tell the old story of having been - induced by unscrupulous steamship agents to COMQ Out here under the pro- mise of immediate emplcyment at good wages. One man, with a wife aud two children, was found wandering the streets the other night, and had to be relieved by the police., some of whom subscribed amongst themselves to get there a night's lodging and a good meal. —One day' last week a woman in St. Catharines had been washing, and after hanging out her clothes she the -light she would wash her baby in the soap suds, but finding thein too cool she put the water on the fire to warm. The fire was almost out, and for a moment or two she sat the child on the stove,which was just warm. She had hardly done so when her attention 'was attracted by a dog fight in the Yard. She rushed out, leaving the baby on the stove. In the meantime, the fire suddenly flared up and became so hot that the child was severely burned, its life at one time being despaired of, but at present it is in a fair way of recovery. —While the express from Halifax was waiting at Moncton on Saturday night, Conductor Trueman observed something drop from the water closet, and this was followed by a wail. The ob- ject was found to be a new-born babe. It was taken to the railway room, and. the conductor enquired. of a woman, the Only occupant of the second-class car, if she knew anything about it.She- answered, as coolly as possible, that she didn't. Dr. H. Scott and Marshall Steadman were sent for, and then the woman confessed that the child was hers. She was on. her way from Am- herst to Petitcodiac, where she belongs. The babe is alive and weighs 14 pounds. —A circumstance which rnight have resulted very seriously,took place at the residence of Mr.DrS.Cornell,Ailsa Craig, one morning lately. A lamp which was left burning.* a bed. room suddenly exploded, scattering the burning fluid all over the room. Mrs. Cornell was ill bed at the time, but happily was awake, and at once realized the situa- tion. With great presence of mind she immediately conveyed. the baby, which she had with her, to an 'adjoining room, and set to work to extinguish the fire'. By this time Mr. Cornell and son re- turned from the barn, and soon suc- ceeded in smothering the ilaroes, but not before several articles of clothing hanging about the room- had been de- stroyed. All escaped uninjured. —The other day in Ottawa a man bought some hides from a farmer near the Centretown cab' stand. He pulled out his pocket -book to pay for them, and in doing so he dropped four t 5 bills. he did•not discover his loss till he got to Uppertown, where he was making some more pUrchases, for which he had no money to pay. He went back to the nab stand, and a couple of hack drivers approached him saying that if he gave them 1$10 thewould restore to him his lost Cash. Finally he struck a bargain for 58 which was duly paid. However, Chief of Police Sherwikid. heard of the case, and, he promptly caused the extortionate jehus to refund $8. They were glad t� do it andescape preiecution or the loss of their license. '—On Tuesday a farmer came into St. Thomas driving a fine looking horse, with stinky attached. He liquored freely, arid after a few hours his gait grew rattier unsteady. Then he began to talk about horse trading, fighting, 816. He came across three or. four no- torious sharks, who are in the habit of lying in wait for their prey. After con- siderable parley a trade was made be- tween them, the result -Being that the farmer was clean beat. He drove around for a few moments with the sorry hack he had got in exchange, and then he determined to get rid of his bargain at all hazards. The sharks were quite willing to accommodate hiM, but his last bargain was even worse than his first, and he became so disgusted that he turned t -1.1 e ardmal !loose in the street. The end it was .1that one of the clique went up to him 0 f !and purchased tbe brute for $.1, This is only one of the many cases in which innocents are duped by these sharpers. —A month ago threshing was done on the farra of Mr. Wm. Armitage, near Liman, and from that date s. fine gob- bler was missing. But a day or two since, the cattle having eaten into the straw stack in the barnyard, they came to the old -Sultan, who had been. cover- ed by the straw when the threshinia was done, and remained. there till Mite' cattle got to him. He was taken out, but the strut was all gone for the time, and even a red petticoat would fail to rouse his ire, but he soon began to eat, and is now as lively as ever. —Mr. 7. B. McGann, the well-knowrt instructor of the deaf and diumb., &eclat his residence in Belleville on the 22nd inst., after a, long illness. He was the pioneer teacher of the deaf and dumb in this province, having first establish- ed a school in Toronto, whence it was renaoved to Hamilton and carried on with the assistanceof the Government. On the establishment of an institution at Belleville, he was appointed one of the teachers, but on tie -count of old. age and illdiealth he resigned in 1878. Deceased. was a native of Ireland and aged 73 years. —The Rev. Donald Tait, rezently ap- pointed minister of the Presbyterian Church at Berlin, was agreeably sur- prised ii'few days ago on his return home from Waterloo, to find that his study had been raided. by a number- of ladies belonginebto the con,gregation, who left substantial tokens of their presence iil .8., splendid walnut study table covered with morocco, containing eight drawers with silver -mounted handles, two beautiful easy chairs, two- sebstantial walnut study chairs, a bronze ink -stand, a handsome paper rack, and a very valuable silver - burnished students' lamp. —At a trial of a Champion_ agricul- tural steam engine a few days ago, at -lrleinburg, York County, an oldman named Richard Ager, while viewingthe engine, karma over the tumbling shaft, and. his plaid getting caught he was quickly drawia close to the shaft. He endeavored to free himself from his perilous position, but without avail. He was whirled around the shaft once, and then the plaid .giying way let him fall to the ground. On examination it was found that one of his arms was broken in three plaices, besides other injuries. By last account the fractures had been reduced, and the patient was doing as well as could.beexpectedunder the circumstances. —A shooting matcb. between Wood- stock and Brantford. eame off at the latter place on Friday last, two men on each side, 10 birds each.; resulting itt favor of Brantford by one bird. Another match. has been arranged to come oft at Woodstock, on the 3rd. of February.: between T. A. Ramsey, of Brantford, and J. Forbes, of Woodstock, 25 birds each, trap and handle, for $50 a side; also a match at the SalaTo place and at the same time between H. Westbrook, of Brantford, and George Grant, of Woodstock, 10 birds each, trap and handle, for $25 a side. C. H. Mont- gomery, of Brantford, and Geo. Grant, of Woodstock, have a glass ball match ' at the same place and time, 25 balls each, for $10 a side. —A few days ago an old. lady named Janet Cowie, eighty-four years of age, mine into London by the noon train. from Westmeath, Beachburg, Ont., where she has been living, to visit two of her daughters, whom she had. not seen for 20 years. She was very e hale and hearty, and refused to allow her friends to take a hack, neither would. she aide in the street car. They had proceeded some distance—Mrs. Cowie - being very happy and excited at meet- ing her eelatives—when she suddenly dropped down on the eidewalk, and be- fore any remedies could be applied. life was extinct. This sad event has cast a deep gloom over all her relatives in the city, who had. been looking forward for a long time to her visit after twenty years' absence. . —One evening lately Mr. Robert Vance, of 'Cavan, near Peterborough, had a narrow and almost miraculous eseape from a terrible disaster.. It ap- pears that he was at the 'Midland Sta- tion, where he had 80/Ile business with _ his team, when_he observed a train en- gaged in shunting back directly upon him. He endeavored to get the team out of the way, but the horses becom- ing terrified plunged directly towards the train, which struck the Weigh., smashing it to atoms, turning Mr. Vance out upon the platform, without injuring him in the least. Every per- son who witnessed the accidentthought for the moment that Mr. Vance must have been crushed to pieces, apd he is to be congratulated upon his lucky escape. The team also escaped with- out injury. . —On Satin day evening a number of the members of West Brantford. Metho- dist Church had assembled. to hold, prayer meeting. Whi16 they were en- gaged in prayer a Miss Clinch -entered the church and walking quietly to where Mr. Broadway was ,kneeling -caught hold of hina by the hair of his head and hit him several times in the face, when three gentlemen present took bold of her and put her out. It is supposed that MissClinch is laboring under an hallucination. She fancies. that Mr. Broadway wants to marry her, but no cause is assigned for the attack. Mr. Broadway has not given her any oause to suppose that he thinks more of laer than of any other member of the con- gregation. Mr. Broadway isnot a regu- larly ordained preacher, but lins been, filling the position for some time. He is a student attending the Brantford., Collegiate Institute, and from Wood - stook.