Welsh Journals

The RUTHIN Illustrated Magazine. ;ly mmn&h foe all classes. To Inform. To Instruct. To Amuse. No. 20. Vol. II. SEPTEMBER, 1880. TWO PENCE- LOCAL BUZZINGS, by Octavius Oeacl^ " So the Town Council, or a section of its members, have resolved upon discontinuing to pay for the winding and repairing of the Church clock. They have watches or American clocks of their own, and therefore the time-keeper in the steeple is not required by them. We must, of course, submit for a time to their ruling, but I hope not without a strong protest against a decision so thoroughly uncalled for, and which is not shared in by fifty people in the town. The church clock is of incalculable benefit to the whole public, to the working classes particularly, and for half a dozen members of the Council to assert in the face of this fact that it is not, and without even d#?cussing the question, to summarily pass a motion, in the absence of the other half of the Council, stopping their annual subscription (£8 10s.)- towards it is a proceeding so anomalous that it demands to be denounced in the strongest terms. The Warden and the Churchwardens have one duty before them—to stop the clock, and then perhaps the feeling of the town will be a little more warmly expressed as to the action of these would-be-economists of the Ruthin Council. The most amusing part of the whole affair is that one economist propored that the curfew bell should be stopped, or rather that the Council should with¬ draw their subscription towards ringing it. But this proposal was overthrown on the ground that the curfew was a more important institution than the church clock! » * Moreover, the motion doing away with the latter subsci iption was never put on the agenda, which is a proof of how much consideration was given the matter. In common with many others I hope we have not heard the last of this hole-in-the-corner business, but that some member of the Council will demand that the question shall be re-con¬ sidered, and a proper vote taken on it. Society informs us that at the ball given by the 'officers of the 108th Regiment at the Portland Hall, Soothsea, last month, Mrs. Cornwallis West was present, attired in a black gauze dregs with low body and no sleeves ; " though an apology forlhe latter was formed of white lace, ends of ribbon, and steel buckles." * * It is gratifying to find that Davies, the newly appointed town crier, makes his announcements in English and Welsh. Nothing could be more unfair to the public than for him to cry in Welsh only, notwithstanding that Ruthin is essentially a Welsh town. Many of the inhabitants are not familiar with the native language, and hence the necessity of addressing them in English. *** A travelling troupe of Ethiopians, numbering five all told, visited the town at the end of last month, and received a reception bo flattering that they are not likely in a hurry to forget it. The Company included the original founder of the burnt-cork and bones movement-the great Charles Christy, who would appear to be a sort of Mephistopheles, capable of being here, there and everywhere simultaneously, though the exact locality of his whereabous is wrapped in mystery. Thu celebrated " Charles " (we were told on the posters) had been engaged by the manager of the present troupe at " enormous expense" and a profitable speculation it must be judging from the crowded—I beg pardon, the "crowd" disappointed —state of the hall the other evening, Of course the " diminished " Charlie & Co. did their best to amuse the vacant chairs to which they were per¬ forming, and the hall-keeper and the billposter, who occupied the back benches, reciprocated a like desire to encourage the performers by under¬ going spasmodic contortions of their bodies, and cheering vociferously. But joking apart, peopl* of this sort must have a limited experience of Life if they imagine they can gull the public by flaring posters, and exaggerated announcements.