oking over the notices which
follow this. Under the heading of "_Parsons, Preachers, and Priests_,"
will be found others of different calibre.

_Allday_.--The "Stormy Petrel" of modern Birmingham was Joseph, or, as
he was better known, Joey Allday, whose hand at one time, was against
every man, and every man's hand against Joe. Born in 1798, Mr. Allday,
on arriving at years of maturity, joined his brothers in the
wire-drawing business, but though it _is_ a painful sight to see (as Dr.
Watts says) children of one family do very often disagree, even if they
do not fall out and chide and fight; but Joseph was fond of fighting
(though not with his fists), and after quarelling and dissolving
partnership, as one of his brothers published a little paper so must he.
This was in 1824, and Joey styled his periodical _The Mousetrap_,
footing his own articles with the name of "Argus." How many _Mousetraps_
Allday sent to market is uncertain, as but one or two copies only are
known to be in existence, and equally uncertain is it whether the
speculation was a paying one. His next literary notion, however, if not
pecuniarily successful, was most assuredly popular, as well as
notorious, it being the much-talked-of _Argus_. The dozen or fifteen
years following 1820 were rather prolific in embryo publications and
periodicals of one kind and another, and it is a matter of difficulty to
ascertain now the exact particulars respecting many of them. Allday's
venture, which was originally called _The Monthly Argus_, first saw the
light in August, 1828. and, considering the times, it was a tolerably
well-conducted sheet of literary miscellany, prominence being given to
local theatrical matters and similar subjects, which were fairly
criticised. Ten numbers followed, in due monthly order, but the volume
for the year was not completed, as in July, 1830, a new series of _The
Argus_ was commenced in Magazine shape and published at a shilling. The
editor of this new series had evidently turned over a new leaf, but he
must have done so with a dungfork, for the publication became nothing
better than the receptacle of rancour, spite, and calumny, public men
and private individuals alike being attacked, and often in the most
scurrilous manner. The printer (who was still alive a few years back)
was William Chidlow and on his head, of course, fell all the wrath of
the people libelled and defamed. George Frederick Mantz horse whipped
him, others sued him f