ancellor?

LEICESTRIENSIS.

* * * * *

Minor Notes.

_Curiosities of Railway Literature._--Has "Bradshaw" had any reviewers? If
not, an example or two from this neighbourhood, of the absurdities which
reappear month after month in the time-tables, may show the necessity of
them. A Midland train proposes to leave Gloucester at 12.40 p.m., and reach
Cheltenham at 1 p.m. The Great Western Company advertise an express train,
on the _very same line_, to leave two minutes _later_ and arrive five
minutes _earlier_. It is therefore obvious, that if these trains were to
keep their proper time, the express must run into the slow coach in front.
The Great Western Railway Company have also, in a very unassuming manner,
been advertising a feat hitherto unparalleled in the annals of railway
speed,--the mail from Cheltenham at 8.20 a.m. to leave Gloucester at 8.27;
that is to say, seven miles, including starting, slackening speed at two or
three "crossings," stopping, starting again, all in seven minutes! Let the
narrow gauge beat this if it can.

H. H.

Gloucester.

_Cromwell's Seal._--I am in possession of a fine seal; it is a beautiful
engraving of the head of Oliver Cromwell, and was once his property: he
presented it to a favourite officer, whose nephew, to whom it was
bequeathed, gave it to the father of the lady from whom I received it a few
years ago. Thus I am in the singular position of being the _fifth_ holder
of it from the Protector.

Y. S. M.

Dublin.

_Rhymes upon Places._--Buckinghamshire:

"Brill upon the Hill,
Oakley in the Hole,
Shabby little Ickford,
Dirty Worminghall."

H. T.

Ingatestow.

_Tom Track's Ghost._--The following piece of metrical romance has dwelt in
my memory as long {428} as I have been able to remember. I have never seen
it in print, nor heard it, at least for some years, from any one else; and
have not been able to discover who wrote it:

"Tom Track he came from Buenos Ayres;
And now, thought I, for him who cares:
But soon his coming wrought me woe;
He misled Poll,--as you shall know.
All in the togs that I had bought,
With that ere Tom she did consort,
Which gave my feelings great concern,
And caused a row,--as you shall learn.
So then challenge Tom I did;
We met, shook hands, and took a quid;
I shot poor Tom.--The worse for me;
It brought his ghost,--as you shall see.
Says he, 'I'm Tom Track's ghost