that there is abundance of flint upon the surface 

 of cane. Many beautiful specimens are brought 

 from abroad of fossil wood, where the whole 

 substance of the wood has been replaced by flint, 

 leaving the form just what it was, so that the 

 granulation, the knots, the fibres, are all the same 

 in appearance as they were in the tree ; but the 

 whole is no longer wood, but flint, capable of the 

 highest polish. No one can conceive how this 

 happens ; we only know that it is so. — Lector. 



Intemperance. — You have so nobly raised your 

 voice, Mr. Editor, against the use of ardent 

 spirits — never for one instant losing sight of 

 a fitting opportunity to denounce all people who 

 indulge (!) in them, that I think the annexed 

 will be " in season " for the Public's " Own 

 Journal:" — There was a certain philosopher, 

 who had a drunken man brought to him, to know 

 what suitable punishment he should suffer for 

 the offence. The vice was so rarely known in 

 those days, that the philosopher was wholly igno- 

 rant of it, and therefore caused him to be 

 brought before him the day following; in the 

 interim of which time, the philosopher drank 

 himself drunk, and thereby was so sick, that he 

 judged nothing but death would immediately 

 ensue ; but it once being over, and the man ap- 

 pearing the next day to know his doom, he said, 

 — " I adjudge thee to no other punishment than to 

 be drunk again, for certainly that crime 



CARRIES ITS OWN PUNISHMENT ALONG WITH IT." 



I wish, Mr. Editor, you would write us a Paper 

 on " Temperance," and give us your thoughts 

 on the subject. It is quite in your way, I feel 

 sure; as all who read your Journal must be 

 well aware. — A Man or Moderation. 



[We have no objection whatever to do what 

 you propose. We will seek an early oppor- 

 tunity lor thinking the matter over.] 



Welsh Harebits. — What an odd question you 

 will consider it, for me to ask you how to ma- 

 nufacture a Welsh rarebit! Yet such is your 

 known good nature, that I will peril my reputa- 

 tion (the fairest of the fair) that my question 

 will be answered ! I have a friend staying with 

 me, who is greedily fond of this domestic 

 luxury, and the way we prepare it is strongly 

 objected to. Now, dear Mr. Editor, help me, 

 do ; and you will ever live buried in my little 

 heart. — Patience. 



[With much grace do we bow to " Patience;" 

 but you young ladies are really too bad, — too 

 good you cannot be ! You always contrive to 

 wind up with something that carries us, your 

 admirers, off our legs. We have not one left to 

 stand upon! Can we — we put it to all our 

 readers — can we refuse anything to a fair girl 

 who tells us we have leave to nestle in her heart ? 

 AVell ; we will give the receipt in full ; and then 

 —to our nest! The late Dr. Maginn was the 

 highest authority in the land in re a " Welsh 

 rarebit." Our worthy friend, ere he died, let us 

 into his secret. Here it is, copied from his own 

 autograph. " Much, very much, is to be said in 

 favor of toasted cheese for supper. It is the cant 

 to say, that a Welsh rarebit is heavy eating. I 

 know this; but have I really found it to be so 

 in my own case? Certainly not. I like it best in 



the genuine Welsh way, however; that is, the 

 toasted bread buttered on both sides profusely, 

 then a layer of cold roast beef, with mustard and 

 horse-radish, and then, on the top of all, the 

 superstratum of Cheshire, thoroughly saturated, 

 while in process of toasting, with cwrw (Welsh 

 ale) or, in its absence, genuine black pepper and 

 shalot vinegar. I peril myself upon the asser- 

 tion, that this is not a heavy supper for a man 

 who has been busy all day, till dinner, in reading, 

 writing, or riding. With this proviso, I recom- 

 mend toasted cheese for supper. And I bet half- 

 a-crown that Dr. Kitchiner coincides with me." 

 — Reading the above, has positively inoculated 

 us with an appetite for an '' early supper!" It 

 is a matter for rejoicing with us, that we are not 

 asked our opinion as to whether these " rarebits " 

 are easy of digestion. There are many things 

 very " nice," that we wot of; but there is 

 " danger" if we attempt to indulge in them !] 



Sagacity of a Magpie. — A very few days 

 since, Mr. Editor, a man called at a printer's in 

 Wrexham, and asked " if a hand was wanted in 

 the printing office?" Receiving a reply in the 

 negative, he departed. The same night, or rather 

 early the next morning, the inmates of a house at 

 the Rossett, about six miles distant, were dis- 

 turbed by their magpie. So awful was the 

 outcry he made, that the lady of the house and 

 her husband hastily arose, and found that the 

 house had been broken open and plundered. To 

 dress himself quickly, and gallop off to Chester 

 in pursuit, was the work of a few minutes only. 

 He had not proceeded far, before his horse cast a 

 shoe. Leaving him to the care of a blacksmith 

 on the road, my gentleman again sped away on 

 foot, and meeting the driver of the mail, he in- 

 quired of him what sort of a person he had last 

 met? The answer was, — " a man with a 

 bundle." " Good!" said the pursuer; and on he 

 went. The man with a bundle now became dis- 

 tinctly visible in the distance, and by " forced 

 marches " our two heroes soon stood side by side. 

 The pursuer at once proceeded to secure the 

 pursued; the latter, on this, threw away the 

 bundle, and made good his escape over the hedge. 

 In the bundle, were all the things that had been 

 stolen — including a great coat. So far, so good. 

 But the thief was not to escape — no. The horse 

 by this time was shod. His master quickly 

 mounted him; rode off, at railway pace, towards 

 Chester; descried " his man " just entering the 

 high road ; threatened to " fell him" if he moved : 

 captured him; and now he is lying in our jail 

 awaiting his trial ! ! Surely the magpie, here,* 

 was the prime mover; and but for him, justice 

 must have been defeated. — Cymro, Wrexham. 



[All honor be to this prince of magpies ! say 

 w r e. We imagine the goose who saved the 

 Roman capitol was never roasted; and we should 

 indeed grieve to hear that this equally valuable 

 servant was ever sold. He deserves a new house, 

 and should hereafter ever rank " as one of the 

 family."] 



Canaries killed by an Owl — a Caution. — Let 

 me tell you, Mr. Editor, a curious circumstance 

 that occurred a short time since. I had several 



