Subscriptions for the Sloper Collection. 



95 



Suspected, taken, he escapes at last, 



And all supposed the danger now was past — 



When Judith's brother, in the dead of night, "\ 



Heard his grand-niece who shook with cold and fright, > 



Tell how she 'scaped the murderer's hand by flight ; J 



4 Wake ! wake ! she's murdered ! ' was the frightful cry ; 



' I heard the blow ! I almost saw her die.' 



They found her lying on the garden mould, ~\ 



Mangled with dreadful wounds, quite dead and cold, > 



A sight to shock the weak, and almost scare the bold." J 



I tender my very best thanks to Mr. J. T. Hand, of Halifax, 

 Canon Jackson, and Mrs. Sampson, for the valuable assistance they 

 have given me in making these collections : it is only an attempt 

 to belp some future historian. 



nMgte for % JMojet Collection. 



?N November, 1885, a favourable opportunity occurred of 

 §5 obtaining, for the Museum, the collection of fossils formed 

 by~Mr. G. E. Sloper, and his late brother, Mr. S. W. Sloper. 

 The accumulation of these specimens was the pursuit of the 

 late owners for nearly half-a-century. They were obtained from 

 railway cuttings, and from quarries long since disused ; and include 

 many rarities such as cannot now be found in the county. Some 

 friends who knew the collection strongly urged that the purchase 

 should be made j but at the time, the available funds of the Society 

 were temporarily engaged in publishing. It was therefore resolved 

 to appeal to the Members for subscriptions. The event proved, as 

 usual, that Wiltshiremen are always ready to support the progress 

 of natural science, as well as archseology. The amount was speedily 

 raised, with a small balance towards the necessary alterations of 



