... A pretty story is told in St. Petersburg. A Govern- ment functionary living in the outskirts of the ca> tal died a few days ago in utter destitution, leaving >3. hind him motherless, and without friends or rebiti- as two little children, one a boy of seven, and th? o' isr a girl of three. Left in the house alone, with money or food, the boy did not know to get bread for his sister. At last, ...

... Presentation of Gifts. Speech of General Roberts. [STANDARD DESPATCH.J HAZARPIR, December 29.—On or about New dear's Day General Roberts will leave for the Glost country. He will be accompanied by a squadron of the 10th Hussars, a wing of the 72nd Highlanders, two mountain batteries, three oopg of one of the native cavalry regiments, nd two native infantry regiments. According ;0 the latest ...

... At the Bow street Police Court,. London, on Saturday, Fanny Lyford, 25 years of age, of Ivy Cottage, Sandhurst, was brought up on remand before Mr. Flowers, charged on a warrant with obtaining from Messrs. Shoolbred and Co., of Tottenham Court road, a quantity of silk and other property, value Y-13, with intent to defraud. On the last occasion evidence was given by Anne Murphy, a shopworn an ...

... Emigration from Germany to the United States has for the last few years been reduced to very narrow dimensions, partly owing to the economic crisis across the Atlantic, and partly to the stringent precautions of the German Government against the departure of young men who have not performed their military obligations—the class most likely to emigrate. The precautions ey- tend, it is even said, ...

... The New York World, of the 18th Dec., pub- lishes the contradiction of the Admiralty respect- ing the reported interview which its correspondent had with the Duke of Edinburgh at Halifax. While promising to make a careful inquirv into the matter, it declares that its special correspon- dent could have no interest in falsi ying news, i while obviously the Admiralty would have a great interest ...

... Ots I Monday afternoon, the chiMren attendL-mg-, Betbania Welsh Gal viniatic M ithodisfc Chapel,receired- their Chirtmaa treat, when they were abundantly supplied-with plum cake* amdi tea. A competirive meeting was heM io the evening, wbeo tbe Rev. Emlyn Rhys, pa8tor, took tbe-chair. Mr J. Jomea^ The Docks, CardifS, was the adjiidisator- ...

... A special council meeting of the Charity Organisa tion Society was held on Monday afternoon, at the Society's offices, Buckingham-street, Strand, under the presidency of General Lynedook Gardner, for the purpose of considering the distress now prevalent in London, and to consider the best means of affording relief to those requiring assistance. A lengthy dis- cussion took place on the subject, ...

... SUBSTITUTE FOR MILK. -THVEDITORTF th e Medic a n ju°r > £ a ei^ notice of the medical profession t C.vibury s Cocoa Essence which hs calls Cadbury'g Concentrated Vegetable Milk, and remarksThs excess of fatty matter has been carefully eminaled and thus a compound remaius which conveys in at mini- BlUm bulka. maximum amount of nutriment. We strongly recommend it as a diet for ildren. To bt ...

... MADAME ADELINA PATTI. The Paris correspondent of the London Telegraph Bays :-It having been reported that Madame Adelina Patti was suffering from inflammation of the knee-joint so severely as to render amputation of the limb necessary, the i(tat-o telegraphed to its Berlin correspondent and received the answer that the case had been exaggerated. It is true, however, that Madame Patti was ...

... A grand shell race-The oyster- The whole thing in a nutshell-The worm. An old saw new set—A miss is good at a Smile. A masked ball is defined a merciful institution for plain women. I get my living by dyeing now, wrote home a boy to his mother. What is the most unfortunate vegetable they could have on board a ship ?—A leek. Why ia a Grecian nose like a correct racing pre- diction?—Because ...

... A NOVEL DUEL. A dnel has been fought in Algeria under singular conditions. M. Poivre, president of the Council General, challenged M. Feuillet, editor of the Zeramma, for libelling him in his paper. The editor agreed to fight if M. Poivre would sign a paper authorising him to continue his attacks in case neither partv should be hurt. This was done, and an exchange of bullets took place without ...

... On Monday, ithe Midland express from London to Edinburgh was detained north of Galashiels by the supports-of a wooden bridge on the line being washed away by the breaking up the ice and thaw on the Gala. The passengers left the train, and, walking across the bridge, entered car- riages in waiting on the other side, by which they were tahen on to Edinburgh, arriving at mid- night, three horars ...