trate's room--gives him a bit of paper. "What's this?"
asks the magistrate. "That's to signify," says JOHN MITCHEL, "that you
may chain me--lock me up." "May I, indeed!" cried the magistrate. "You
may," answers the magnanimous patriot; who, disdaining to take the least
advantage, bolts from the court, jumps on a horse ready saddled for the
work, and gallops his hardest.

We have heard of splitting a hair; but never before was word of
man--parole of honour--broken with such nicety. The flaw is so delicate,
it is hard to say where it begins or ends. In future, perhaps, when an
Irish convict gentleman waits upon an Australian magistrate, to
surrender, on paper, his "comparative liberty," the magistrate, before
perusing the document, will take the precaution of shutting the
office-door.

* * * * *

THE MILKY WAY IN LANCASHIRE.

Many of the farmers about Preston are giving their cows apples, in
consequence of that fruit being more plentiful, and so much cheaper,
than potatoes. We wonder whether this difference of diet produces any
difference in the milking; and whether a cow, so fed, instead of
yielding so many pints of milk, gives now so many bottles of cider; or
whether it was a combination of both--a sort of milk-cider? In the cause
of temperance, we pause for a reply.

* * * * *

CALEDONIAN FIDDLE-DE-DEE.--The irritation of the Scotch agitators may be
only skin-deep, but the disorder nevertheless may prove contagious.

* * * * *

PAYING CULPRITS THROUGH THE NOSE.

[Illustration: W]

We see that old Kentucky is going ahead in the practice of humanity
towards an unfortunate and degraded class of beings. Witness the _New
York Journal of Commerce_, which contains the subjoined paragraph:--

"MARKING CONVICTS.--A resolution has been introduced into the
Kentucky Legislature, which provides 'that the keeper of the
Penitentiary shall procure a suitable chymical dye, such as shall
stain the cuticle or outer surface of the skin perfectly black, so
that it cannot be washed off, or in any way removed until time shall
wear it away, and Nature furnish a new cuticle or surface; and that
with this dye he shall have the nose of each male convict painted
thoroughly black, and renew the application as often as it may be
necessary to keep it so until within one month of the expiration of
his sent