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    been there three months , and fell in love "with Miss Anne Noble , aged eighteen , the daughter of a comfortable farmer , who also kept an inn at Boroughbridge . The young man was not a favourite with Mr . Noble , who objected to him on account of his want of means . With a view to remove that objection , the young man went to Liverpool , in what year is not stated , and entered into business as landlord of the Spread Eagle . He continued to keep up a correspondence with the young lady until 1842 . After that year there appears to have been a rupture , for we hear of nothing further till 1849 , when Miss Noble became Mrs . Day , and then her old lover makes up his mind , on the strength of the following letters , written eight years before , to bring an action for breach of promise of marriage .

    " Wednesday afternoon . " My dear Tom , —I received your letter quite safe this ? norning , and hardly know how to answer it . " I fear you are not acting as you ought to do as regards your health , but let me entreat you not to make yourself so unhappy on my account , as I feel quite resigned to my fate , and feel more and more settled in mind . Best assured of this , though we are forbid to go together at present , all that I can say is , it shall not be my fault in the end . I have a favour to beg , that is , that you will not think of such a thing as going abroad . It will be a source of great comfort to me to live as near you as I can , as I am forbid to enjoy your company at feast as a lover . I shall consider you as dear to me as if I were your wifewhich I hope I shall be if we both live ,

    , but for the present don't mention such a thing . There is another thing you must not do , that is , not to write while I ' m in Manchester- My father wrote to Wm . on Monday , I believe to set him on as a spy . I shall not stop there more than a week or ten days , and I will write to you as soon as I get to Liverpool , and shall have such a much better chance of doing it without suspicion . You try and make yourself as happy as you can under present circumstances . Surely happier hours await us both . There is one consolation , they cannot be more unreasonable . I will do all that ever lies in my power to preserve my health . I must conclude this hasty epistle , as they are calling me in every direction . " Yours ever truly , " Anne . "

    " Liverpool , 18 , Pembroke-place , Sept . 4 , 1841 . " My dear Tom , —I duly received your letter , and was glad to hear that you had said something more about the subject to my father . He is not at present agreeable , and will always be the same , so I think there is but one way left . I don ' t wonder at your being surprised at my father ' s notions about money affairs . It was a thing I never gave a thought about until he mentioned it ; nor . indeed , since , only that I wished you to know his

    thoughts , for there is nothing but what I would willingly tell you . What you say you possess , I should think quite plenty to live upon in a comfortable way in the north . I shall certainly have something at some time , but not as long as my mother lives ; so if it should happen , I should be quite dependent upon you until that time , therefore , I think it best to wait the end . I leave it to your own judgment whether you should say anything to him about it or not . Just do as you please . I think I have said quite plenty about this subject , for it is a thing I hate to mention in any respect . . . . " Yours very truly , " Anne Noble . "

    The following letter was adrressed to a friend , and was by her handed to the plaintiff : — " Dear Anne , —Will you have the kindness to write to T . W . A ., and tell him that I think he is not acting very wisely to leave Gateside . It would be the greatest comfort to me to know that he will not do so , but come and live at it as if nothing were . Tell him that I say that if he thinks me worth waiting for , he must return soon after Christmas , and lead a nice , steady , quiet life at

    Gateside ; and if I should live longer than my father , then I will fulfil my promise . If he cannot consent to do so , we must , indeed , put an end to this affair , for I have made up my mind not to marry aslong as my father lives . He may think me stupid ; but he does not know all things . Did he know as much as I do , he would not blame me ; but I leave it to his love and honour . Should you get an answer to this keep it till I see you . Tell him I send my best love to him , and shall expect to sec him at the next B . B . Fair . —From yours , very truly , but unhappily " Anne Noble .

    " I think you had better send this note inside yours . In another letter to the plaintiff , without date , the young lady said : — " You must be well aware that it is not my wish that the engagement should be done away with ; and if it had not been entirely to please my father I would never have acted in the manner I have done . " Mr . Sergeant Wilkins , who addressed the jury for the defence , characterized the action as one brought nguinst the husband with a view to draw money from his pockets , and to promote domestic discord . The jury having retired fora short time returned a verdict for the defendant .

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    SUNDAY TOST DELIVERY . The report on the rost-oflico , which has been presented by Lord Clanricardo and the Right Honourable Messrs . Labouchero and Come wall Lewis , to the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty ' s Treasury , makes the following recommendations : — With regard to the London Post-office , we think that the system which was in force at the time specified , and which has not been affected by the recent order , should be continued .

    " With regard to the provincial Post-offices , we recommend that a delivery of letters on the Sunday should be resumed , subject to the following restrictions , many of which have been sanctioned by the previous practice of the department : — " 1 . That there be only one delivery and one collection . «• 2 . That the delivery be made at such a time as shall not interfere with the hours of Divine Service , especially of morning service . " 3 . That this delivery be made either by letter-carriers or at the window of the Post-office , according to the practice previously pursued on Sundays in each place . In Edinburgh , Glasgow , and most other towns of Scotland , it has been the practice to deliver letters only at the window on Sunday . The inhabitants of these towns and do

    have become habituated to the arrangement , we not , therefore , advise its discontinuance ; but we do not propose its extension to other towns , where such a usage has never been introduced , because it ^ affords less convenience and security to the public , while it produces no diminution of Sunday labour . " 4 . That , as far as possible , every Post-office be closed on a Sunday at ten a . m ., for the remainder of the day , with the necessary exceptions arising from the late arrival of mails which have heretofore existed . " 5 . That no money payments for inland letters be received at the Post-office on a Sunday ; and that no such letters be received except such as are stamped or unpaid . " 6 . That whenever the letters , which were delivered on the Sunday morning , reach their destination by eight o ' clock on the Saturday night ( which is the case in some of the more remote parts of the kingdom ) , the delivery be made the same night instead of on the Sunday

    morning . " 7 . That where the duties are such as to prevent the rural letter-carrier from attending Divine service , an arrangement be made for providing a substitute at least on alternate Sundays . We apprehend that the additional cost incurred by this arrangement would be justified by the importance of its object . "

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    THE FIRE AT GRAVESEND . The town of Gravesend was visited by a most destructive fire on Sunday last , by which several hundred persons have had their houses burned down . The fire began in the High-street , nearly opposite the Town-hall , about two o ' clock in the morning , and , as many of the houses in that vicinity are built of wood , the flames spread so rapidly that at least a dozen houses in the High-street were on fire before the tardy corporation engines could be called into operation . The houses on the opposite side , to the number of six or seven , caught fire almost simultaneously , and several buildings in Church-alley and the adjoining lanes were also encircled in flames . The various ships in the river , the Townhall , Gravesend Church , and other lofty buildings were brought out in bold relief . The reflection of the flames could be distinctly seen from the metropolitan bridges .

    Expresses having been despatched to Rochester , Chatham , and Dartford for assistance , in a brief space of time the engines from these places , with another from the Custom-house and one from Tilbury Fort , arrived . The whole of this powerful force was brought to bear upon the flames ; but in spite of this the work of devastation continued , and , the tallow-chandlery of Mr . Troughton becoming fired , the oils and tallow ran along the street in a complete blaze . The Parr ' s Head Tavern , belonging to Mr . Creed , was the next house that became ignited , and when the spirits came in contact with the fire they ran like liquid flame into the neighbouring premises . The flames then assumed a more fearful

    aspect than ever , and the Town-hall in front and the parish church at the back seemed doomed to destruction , for pieces of burning wood were carried high into the air by the wind , and , falling upon these and numerous other premises , it was deemed prudent to send an electric telegraphic message to London for the aid of the brigade . When the London firemen arrived they found the greater part of the High-street in flames , and immense bodies of smoke were rolling from the burning houses over the town , nearly obscuring from view the principal public buildings . Not a moment was lost in setting all hands to work , and , fortunately , no further destruction of property took place , although at seven o ' clock in the evening a great body of flame still remained amidst the ruins ,

    Of all the fires that have of late years visited the town of Gravesend , none has been attended with so much destruction of property . Some of the parties burnt out were the largest tradesmen in the town . One who carried on the business of a draper has lost about £ 5000 worth of goods , exclusive of the value of the premises , and several others have lost their stock in trade , averaging from £ 1000 to £ 3000 each . The havoc amongst the poor people , who were uninsured , is serious even to

    contemplate . Many of the sufferers , being deprived of house and wearing apparel , are obliged lo walk about in raiment borrowed from their more fortunate neighbours . Amongst the poor people who have lost everything they once possessed , are about a dozen families who lived in Church-alley ; the whole of their dwellings have been levelled with the ground , and the peoplo with their children in their arms were obliged to rush out almost in a state of nudity .

    It is the general opinion of the inhabitants in the town , that had the corporation telegraphed for the London engines when the fire was crossing High-street , instead of waiting three hours , which was actually the case , a very large portion of the property would havo been preserved . The largest building among the premises burned down was used as the London and County Bank . It occupied much ground on the east side of High-streot , close to the Townhall , and with its contents was insured for £ 10 , 000 . The clerks succeeded in saving the whole of the books , cash , and paper belonging to the bank .

    The loss by this terrible fire , as estimated by the surveyors of the various London Insurance Companies , who were engaged the whole of Monday enquiring into the amount of property destroyed , is £ 80 , 000 . The principal offices that will suffer are the following : —Kent Fireoffice , £ 10 , 000 ; Globe , £ 8000 ; : Royal Exchange , £ 8000 ; Alliance , £ 8000 ; Norwich Union , £ 7000 ; Phomx , £ 7000 ; Mutual , £ 2000 ; West of England . £ 5000 j Star , £ 3000 ; Commercial , £ 2000 ; making £ 65 , 000 .

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    MURDERS AND ATTEMPTS TO MURDER . At the Liverpool Assizes , on Tuesday , Robert Reed was indicted for the manslaughter of his wife , at Liverpool , on the previous Friday morning . We last week published the particulars of this case . The prisoner was a singer in a concert-room , and on the night of the occurrence his wife went for him , at which he was much irritated . On their way home he quarrelled with her , and immediatelv ution enterinsr their lodgings he struck

    at his wife , and she ran or was pushed into a dark parlour into which the prisoner followed . In about five minutes afterwards he left the room and went to his bedroom . A female went into the parlour shortly afterwards , and found Mrs . Reed lying in a pool of blood , being at the time quite dead . Mr . Wilson , surgeon , gave it as his opinion that death had been occasioned by the wound on the ear , but said that this might have been produced either by a blow or a fall . The prisoner was found guilty .

    A murderous assault , inspired by jealousy , took place at Boston , last week . The victim was a young man , named John Holmes , who had for some time past been keeping company with Isabella Sneath , who acted as housekeeper to a tailor named James Clarke , residing in West-street . She -was sister to Clarke ' s late wife , and both Holmes and Clarke had fallen in love with her , out of which frequent quarrels arose . On Tuesday night , as Clarke was returning home from a public-house , he saw Holmes and his housekeeper in conversation with each other on the opposite side of the road . Without saying a word to either , the wretched man went home , and , having armed himself with a large sharp-pointed knife , he rushed out again , and made a most fearful attack upon Holmes . He stuck the point of the knife into

    various parts of the unfortunate man ' s head and neck , inflicting such injuries as leave it very doubtful whether the poor man will survive . Clarke is in custody . John Curtis and his wife Ann , an unhappy pair in the neighbourhood of Stourbridge , lived a cat-and-dog life for some time together . Occasionally she deserted him , and went to live , in the most intimate relationship , with an uncle named George Clarke . The latter having been committed to prison for some offence , a few months ago , she went back to her lawful husband during Clarke ' s incarceration . On her uncle's release , however , she went to live with him again , and shortly afterward she murdered her husband , with the assistance of Clarke and a man named Carrell . Clarke and his niece have both been

    committed for trial . At the Gloucester assizes , on Monday , Elizabeth Bubb , aged forty , was tried for the murder of a niece four years old , by starvation and ill treatment . The woman was the sister of the deceased wife of a man named Richard Hook , a woodman , living at Churcham , about four miles from Gloucester . His wife died about two years ago , leaving three children , of whom the deceased was the youngest ; and soon after his wife ' s death Bubb and her children , two boys , went to live with . Hook , and she became his housekeeper and the manager of his family . Up to the time of the mother ' s death , Hook ' s children were well attended to , and were also

    very healthy-looking children ; but from the time that Bubb undertook the charge of them , all of them , but especially the youngest , were systematically neglected . The result was the death of the child Maria , on the 24 th of May last , of actual starvation ; and so attenuated had the body become through want of food and clothing , that , although the body of a healthy child usually weighs from 61 b . to 81 b . at its birth , the body of this child at its death , including the weight of a cloth in which it was wrapped , weighed 61 b . only . From the evidence it appeared that the ill-treatment of the child had been carried on in the most systematic , persevering , unrelenting manner . The young Bubbs were supplied by their mother with plenty of bread and butter , while Hook ' s children were starved . One witness said : —

    " She knew the child before her mother's death . Up to that time she was very well , but after the prisoner undertook their management the young Hooks were shamefully ill-treated and neglected , though the young Bubbs enjoyed every comfort . Hook ' s children were ill-fed and ill-clad , especially the deceased . She would cry in the morning before she was up for food , and the prisoner would send up a morsel of dry bread , about an inch and a half long and about half an inch thick . She used to send it up by one of the children , and say if that did not satisfy the little —— she should have a whipping . Has seen prisoner and her children sitting at breakfast and eating buttered toast , whilst the deceased was on the floor and picking

    up the crumbs and devouring them with the greatest greediness . The child often came to her and cried for food , and she frequently gave it bread and butter . The child gradually wasted away , and became so weak that for three weeks before her death she crept about on all fours , liven in this state she did not receive more attention , and witness frequently heard her crying for bread . Had seen the prisoner catch the child with one hand , and beat it with the other , within three weeks of its death , mid when it was little better than skin and bone—a mere living skeleton . About two months before it died saw prisoner washing the child in a tub , and saw her take it out and push it across the room , and say , ' D— theo , thoe will never die , and nothing will ever kill thoe . '"

    Tho shopkeeper with whom Hook dealt proved that ho had always been in the habit of having sufficient foodbread , bacon , tea , and sugar—for his family . Other witnesses stated that they had frequently seen the poor little orphan in a ravenous state for want of food . The Jury , after a short deliberation , returned the following verdiot : — " We find the prisoner Guilty of an aggravated

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 17, 1850, page 487, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1850/page/7/