... THE REFUSAL TO PLAY THE NATIONAL I AN'THEM.I The Press Association says the real camse of the incident which took' place at the Irish Exhibition in London has been explained. On Monday evening after the conclusion of the programme allotted to them the Barrack Street band, which came from Cork for the purcose of perform- ing at the exhibition, omitted to play the National Anthem, and refused to ...

... DaDLEY SCHOOL OF ART. Last night the annual meeting of the Dadley School of Art was held in the Town Hall, Dudley. Colonel Cochrane (the president) occupied the chair, and he was supported by Sir Thomas Martinean (ex-Mayor of Birmingham), the Rev. H. Pylertt, Mr. Tylden Wright, Mr. Grazebrook Alderman Bowat, Mr. Warmington, Mr. Bridgwater, Mr: Bobbins, Mr. Sheppard, Mr. D. Jones, Mr. Fisher, ...

... I The second week of the present engagemenb of The Earbour Lights at the Theatre Royal promises to be as .successful as the first. On Mbnday night Messrs. Sims and lPettilt's popular drama was heartily received by a large audience, and the interesting performance was theroeghuv enjoyed. Nhrt week Held by the Enemy, a play which has already achieved much success in the country, will be ...

... BIRMINGHAM AND MID-ENGLAND OULTRY SHOW. The Christmas show of poultry in connection with the Birminngham and Mlid-England Poultry Society was held yesterday, at Cave's Repository, Moseley Street, Birming- harn. The society has not yet been established twelve months, but since its excellent exhibition of chickens in August last its membership has considerably increased. Most of the ieading ...

... ares TaE Anmi4nLS LADY BiDDY FANGa: Her Sur- I prising Curious Adventures in Strange Parts. and nd Happy Deliverance from Pirates, Battle, Cap- mg tintly, and other Terrors; with Divers Romantic es, and Moving Accidents, as set forth by Beast on Pengilly (her companion in misfortune and joy), and now first done into print. By PHAEs as BARETTr. In Three Vols. [London: Cassell and ee Company.] ...

... TUB MAYOR OF KIDDERMInS-ER ANDY TIM VOLUNTEERS. The Mayor of Kidderminster (Mr. KL Tomkirsonl enter- tertained the members Of the three. local corps 6t rife volunteers to dinner at the Town Hall, in the borough, on 6traevning) The orchestra was -decorated with satrurday rflowrng plantsa and the room, which'bas beet recently decorated, presented a bright appearance. It m3a be noted that the ...

... THE RUSSIAN OPERA COTMPAINY. ba The pleasures of anticipation are proverbially so ;h great that a surprise, however delightful, is apt to it be resented by our imperfect human nature; and it It was with somewhat mingled feelings, therefore, that is the local musical public awoke a day or two since to ethe discovery that they were o1 the eve of a visit j, from a real Russian Opera Company with ...

... G RADN TEEATRE. There are t-.o dramas running- in te e country at the pIrcsear time whlch are founrdcd en 'shilling u hock;ers. Ione is lThe I)Isater' of a Iia'som Cab ' and the other -' Mr. i'aroes of New York. A few weeks ago tiue forrrer was produced at the Grand Theatre-but not b' the original comcpany. The performance was not cue to be praisoe, and a vwcrdy warfare concerning it took ...

... BIRMNIGH.NA31'MUSICAL FESTIVAL I EIGHTH zARTICLE DR. H'UBERT PARRY'S ORATORIO, JUDITH. IT is always interesting to watch the development of artistic talent, and particularly so when the pos- sessor is entering upon a new path. without dis cussing the question as to which is the highest form of musical art, it is sufficient to observe that in this 'country oratorio represents the goal of all ...

... I HANDSWORTH HORTICULTTRAt SHOW.I The fourth annual exhibition in connection with the Handsworsh and District Horticultural Society was opened yesterday, at Heathfield Hall Grounds, Hands- worth, and will be continued to-day. Several complain were made last year by subscribers and friends that the show was held too late in the season. The commiztee. therefore decided to arrange the present ...

... , TMEATiP.ES THE fame of Mr. Richard Mansfield's performances in the United States, not to speak of the pros and cons of his rivalry with llr. Bandmann, which have furnished so many paragraphs to our newspapers of late, proved amply sufficient on Saturday evening to draw a large and distinguished audience to the LYCEUM. W\e are now at the very dullest period of the theatrical calendar. But ...

... THE bushranger would not strike most people as very promising materia for a hero of romance. In the hands of Mr. Rolf Bolder- wood, however, the author of Robbery Under Arms (3 vols.: Remington and Co.), he becomes at any rate a very efficient rival to such heroes as Claude Duval, or even as the old Border cattle thieves, or the Calabrian brigands. That Mr. Bolderwood knows his subject ...