" (Much laughter.) He
could swallow prussic acid without experiencing any ill effects from
it; that was what he called _pyrotechny_; "he had no property except
a wife and child, &c."
Next are the Police Reports, sometimes affording admirable studies of
men and manners. The first is a case of a man being locked up for the
night in a watch-house, "on suspicion of ringing a bell"--and brings
to light a most outrageous abuse of petty power. In another case, a
gang of robbers pursued by one set of watchmen, were suffered to
escape by another set, who would not stir a foot beyond their own
boundary line! Neither Shakspeare, Fielding, nor Sheridan have given
us a better standing jest than this incident affords. It reminds us
of the fellow who refused to take off Tom Ashe's coat, because it
was felony to strip an _ash;_ or the tanner who would not help the
exciseman out of his pit without twelve hours' notice.
The Births, Marriages, and Deaths--and the Markets, and Price of
Stocks, in small type, which well bespeaks their crowded interest,
wind up the sheet. Yet what thrilling sensations does this small
portion of our sheet often impart.
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