... CHRISTMAS FARE. The windows of the grocers' shops, particularly those in High-street, Duke-street, Angel-street, Queen-street, Bute-street, and Church-street, are dressed for Christ- mas with all those little dainties that serve to assist in furnishing the Christmas dinner or dessert. Consider- able taste is evinced in some of the shop windows. The show of beef and mutton will take place next ...

... ROYAL LITERARY FUND.—His Majesty the King of the Belgians has graciously consented to preside at the anniversary dinner of the Royal Literary Fund in May next year. At a meeting of the General Committee, on the motion of Sir Frederick Pollock, seconded by Mr. Henry Reeve, it was resolved that the following members of the corporation should be invited to act as members of the Anniversary ...

... MR. SPUHGEON AT ROME. Mr. Spurgeon has been staying in Rome, and on Sunday week preached in the Presbyterian Church, outside the Forth del Popolo, the regular minister of which is Dr. Lewis. A newspaper correspondent, de- scribing the service, writes:—-Perhaps the boldest thing Mr. Spurgeon ever said in his life was said in his running comments before the sermon, while reading a chapter of ...

... jljririf of the » THE PRINCE OF WALES. The Spectator observes that the journals seem to think it quite natural that the people should sym- pathise deeply with the Prince of Wales, mourn over his suffering, and exult in bis recovery; but the truth is the sympathy, especially in its extent and its genuineness, is a novel feature in our history. The Princes of Wales of the House of Brunswick have ...

... of the people themselves. It may be mentioned with gratification, that the Home Rulers of Ire- land, through their leader, Mr. Butt, M.P., have manifested genuine sympathy with the Royal Family in their sorrow. And of all the news- papers of the sister country, only one, as in England, has spoken disparagingly of the Prince in his illness. On the whole, Royalty has good reason to be satisfied ...

... THE ORIENTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND OVEREND AND GURNEY. The Lord Chancellor gave judgment yesterday in the case of the Oriental Financial Corporation v. Overend, Gurney, and Company. This suit was in- stituted to obtain an injunction restraining Overend, Gurney, and Company from proceeding with an action at law which they had commenced against the Oriental Financial Corporation for the ...

... THE TICHBORNE TRIAL. Amongst the documents put in on Monday were the will of Roger Tichborne, the evidence as to the loss of the Bella, and the declaration of the Dowager Lady Tichborne that she recognised the claimant as her son. Dr. W. Sutherland and Mr. Canton, surgeon, gave evidence to the same effect as that of Sir W. Ferguson. It was arranged that a medical gentleman for the defendants ...

... The Colliery Manager's Pocket Book, Almanac, and Diary for 1872 is a neat, handy, and useful publication. MR. SHERBROOKS'S SCHOOL.—The half-yearly dis- tribution of prizes to the successful pupils took place on Thursday. The results of the examination and the report of the examiners, with the prize list, will ap- pear in our second edition. ...

... FIGHT BETWEEN SEAMEN.—On Tuesday, shortly after midnight, a drunken quarrel arose between the first and second mates of the bark Seaward, of St. John's, lying off Albert-quay, Cork. Blows being ex- changed, the crew joined in, and a general fight en- sued, belaying pins and knives being used. Duncan, the second mate, was fearfully beaten and flung into the hold. He is in a dangerous condition. ...

... TRIAL OF A COMMUNIST HEROINE. A heroine of the Commune, Mademoiselle Louise Michel, a schoolmistress, of high attainments and position, who had sixty pupils belonging to good families, who is 35 years old, and very handsome, has just been tried by a Versailles Court-martial as an accomplice in the acts of the Commune, as having personally fought in uniform, and as having written articles in ...

... A large steamer, supposed to be the Delaware, from Liverpool to Calcutta, was lost on Wednesday between the Scilly Islands of Sampson and Mincarlo. It is feared that all hands have perished. ACTION FOR LIBEL.—The action brought by Mr. Hepworth Dixon against the Pall Mall Gazette for libel was brought before Vice-Chancellor Wickens on Wed- nesday, a bill having been filed to compel Mr. Enoch, ...

... THE TORPEY DIAMOND ROBBERY. Miss Pitt, who keeps a lodging-house at Leamington, brought an action in the Court of Queen's Bench, on Thursday, against Messrs. Ryder, the jewelers of Bond. street, to recover the £100 reward which had been offered by them for the apprehension and conviction of the persons who committed the daring robbery some time ago, and of which a man named Michael Torpey was ...