MOLES

Are so voracious as not even to spare their own species.  If two are shut up together without food, there will shortly be nothing left of the weakest but its skin, slit along the belly.—­Cuvier.

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SCOTCH ALE.

The strength of Scotch ale, whence it deserves the name, ranges between 32 and 44 pounds weight to the imperial barrel, according to the price at which it is meant to be sold.  The general mode of charge is by the hogshead (about a barrel and a half,) for which five pounds, six, seven, or eight pounds are paid, as the quality may warrant; the strength for every additional pound of price being increased by about four pounds per barrel of weight.—­Library of Useful Knowledge.—­Scotch two-penny was so called because it was sold at twopence the Scotch pint, which was nearly two English quarts.

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In a Scotch brewer’s instructions for Scotch ale, dated 1793, we meet with the following curious mystical instruction:—­“I throw a little dry malt, which is left on purpose, on the top of the mash, with a handful of salt, to keep the witches from it, and then cover it up.  Perhaps this custom gave rise to the vulgar term water bewitched for indifferent beer.”

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AMERICAN LAW.

A recent traveller, in describing the American courts of law and their proceedings, says, in one instance Counsellor Lloyd had grossly insulted Judge Turner in the street, and was tried for the offence by the judge.  He was half-drunk, but defended himself by the vilest abuse of the judge, who could not silence him.  No jury was appealed to; but (we suppose for contempt of court) he was ordered to give security for one year’s good behaviour, and, not procuring sufficient bail, was committed to prison.

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The Galwegians who attended David I. of Scotland to Custon Moor, had a favourite amusement of tossing infants upon their pikes!

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A CAT STORY.

Lady Morgan tells a story of an “amiable and intelligent” grimalkin, which belonged to a young girl who was subject to epileptic fits.  Puss, by dint of repeated observation, knew when they were coming on, and would run, frisking her tail, to the girl’s parents, mewing in the most heart-breaking tones, and clawing at their legs, till she made them follow her.  Her name was Mina; and her history is extant in “choice Italian.”  At length the girl died, and poor puss went to the funeral of her own accord.  Being a black cat, she was already in mourning—­“nature’s mourning!” She wanted to jump into the grave, but that was prevented.  So puss, the “chief mourner,” was carried home again.  But her amiable heart could not survive the shock, for, after pining three months, refusing boiled liver and new milk, poor grimalkin was found “dead upon the green mound that covered her beloved mistress’s remains.”  There was a cat for you!