A poor deaf and dumb man, who might be said to be entirely friendless in
the world until the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb was formed at
Derby, was continually in trouble, owing to his intemperate habits.
"Drunken Billy," as he was called by some, had however a tender place in
his heart, and we frequently visited him at his lodgings and assisted
him in various ways. After a time Billy was persuaded to sign the
temperance pledge, and began to attend the lectures and services for the
adult deaf and dumb. For a time all went well, but one hot summer day
one of his fellow workmen, who ought to have known better, knowing that
Billy had signed the temperance pledge, offered him a shilling if he
would drink a glass of ale he held in his hand. The temptation was too
strong for Billy to resist, and having taken one, it was not easy for
him to resist a second, and in the end poor Billy got taken up by the
police. The head master of the Institution at Derby appeared, by
request, to interpret the evidence, and it transpired that Billy had
been sent to prison in the same month, June, each year, for the seven
previous years. The magistrates however expressed their reluctance at
sending Billy to prison, and asked him, through the interpreter, if he
would try and keep sober, and if he would again sign the pledge; this he
promised to do, and the magistrates on the bench not only dismissed the
case, but each became subscribers of one guinea annually to the Deaf and
Dumb Institution. Billy, true to his promise kept sober, and again
attended the services for the deaf and dumb, and when nearly 70 years of
age gave a brief lecture of his "Life's Experiences" to the deaf and
dumb, which caused considerable amusement, especially his remarks about
Derby fifty years ago. Billy was always thankful for the help rendered
him by the Institution, and frequently said "If he might have his way he
would be glad to die and get to heaven where he could hear." Poor
Billy's life was a hard one, for death took a good wife and four little
ones during the first ten years of his wedded life, and one by one the
whole of his relations passed away. Billy has now done with temptation,
and recently passed away to the majority, his last remarks bearing
testimony to the value of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.

RAPID BICYCLE TRAVELLING.

Yesterday week a young man named Sydney Cornwall, of Coventry, started
at six o'clock in the morning for Salisbur