September is usually called the Silly Season why I don't quite know, but undoubtedly this September lias been marked by an unusual number of suicides and accidents: Of the Inter bicycles seem to have carried off the palm, as one rarely opens a paper without reading of three or four. One day last week there were seven record ed, five of which were fatal, and certainly in most cases the fault seemed to lie with the riders. One Indy, riding on the wrong side of the road, ran into a handsome cab and was run over and Killed; another, though this was a man, wax doing the sume thing and ran into a mail cart, likewise with fatal results. This week the Hon. Barry Somerset Maxwell, heir to Lord Farnham, has succumbed to the effects of an accident which befell him last Tuesday week. Only about a month ago he attained his majority, when there were great rejoicings at Farnham, so that his death is a great shock to his' parents, for whom the greatest sympathy is felt. or scicipEs the most curious, if it was a suicide, is one that has just occurred at Clap-hum, An elderly' clergyman named Price was discovered by his daughter and servant, who were aroused by his cries at 2 o'clock in the moming, with a bullet wound in his chest. He stated that, hearing a noise he had descended to the dining-room, where he found two burglars drinking brandy and counting money. strugilod with them and the pistol went off—three shots being fired, one of which struck him. It-was at first believed that burglars had got. in through the dining room window, which was found open, but on examination the police inspector found thick layer of dust on the windows ill, quiteundisturbedand covered with dew; also the lawn at the back of the house which must have been crossed to reach the window showed no sign of footmarks, and seven loaded cartridges of the same calibre as those which had been used were found in Mr. Price's bedroom. The inspector is therefore under the impression that Mr. Price, who has since succumbed to his injuries, was under a hallucination that: burglars were in the house and tired two shots to alarm them. He then went and opened the door leading into the garden, as this was likewise found open, stumbled and fell. The revolver went off for the third time (the housemaid deposed to havin: heard shots) and the shot entered his chest. Whilst under examination his son, who is a tutor at Oriel College, Oxford, admitted that his father had lately been'in a very depressed state, but they had never known hiw in any way to attempt his life. The case is surrounded by mystery, which so far bids fair to remain unsolved.
ANOTHER TRAGEDY, by which a young woman has lost her life, has occurred this week near Windsor. In some way it bears a resemblance to the horrible murders committed by the man (now believed to be dead) known as Jack the Ripper. In this case the girl Emma Johnson, a domestic servant, was returning to her master's home neat Maidenhexd at about: 8.30 in the evening, when she was brutally murdered, stripped of her clothes and thrown into a tiny water course or millstream, an off-shoot of the Thames, where her hicly was afterwards found. The police are busy, and there are various theories as to the way and by whom the murder was committed, but at present nothing ix known. Mr. Briginshaw, in whose family the murdered girl worked, has received a letter and postcard which he has handed to the police, and it is believed they throw some light on the subject, but so far, of course, their contents have act been published. the scene of many triumphs, has this y-ar surpassed itself in its grand autumnal production—'*A drama of modern life," called WhiteHeather. Fordiversity of sesnic effects it would be hard to beat. We are introduced in the various scenes to a shoot on a Scotch moor; the interior of the London stock exchange; an up-river Sunday carnival, Boulter's lock at Maidenhead; a of cyclists in Battersea Park (Miss Raltie Browne in white rationals); a. replica of the famous fancy dress ball at Devonshire House, with many of the actual dresses worn on thnt occasion; a scrimmage under the sea amidst sea monsters, and a duel between two dive Enough surely even for a modera dram: OF plot, of course, there is not much; one seems to have a general run round and something of everything. But the acting is good. The cast includes Mrs. John Word, who is very amusing. Miss Raltie Browne, Miss Beatrice Lamb, and Mr. Henry Neville and F. de Lange, besides many other old favourites. Everything is splendidly done and expense has evidently been quite " minor consideration. On the second vight something went wrong with the-wonderful hydraulic machinery, and the Scotch moor retired into Boulter's lock and wouldn't come up again, so the theatre had to be closed for the evening and the money returned: On Monday, however, all went well again, though it is stated that men were at work the whole time in relays in order to got ready in time. This said machinery was the pet toy of the Into Sir Augustus Harris and is said to be very marvellous, By its aid a large portion of the stage can be raised or lowered at will, thus greatly aiding scenic effect. The lift cost £8,000 and so far has always acted splendidly, but should Saturday's accident be repeated it may prove a costly toy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.