J. B., who describes himself as "A Residenter in Oswald Road," writes to _The Scotsman_ to complain of the flimsy material used in the construction of the lamp-posts near his dwelling. The other day a milk-van ran away--at least, the horse drawing it did. "One would think," says J. B., "the progress of such a small vehicle would have been arrested by coming into collision with one lamp-post, but four posts were destroyed by the van. On examination it is found that the foundation of a street lamp-post only goes three inches into the stone below it. With such a short hold the lamp-post is easily toppled over." Of course it is. To fix lamp-posts so inadequately gives a direct encouragement to milk-vans to run away and attempt their destruction. Let the Lord Provost of Edinburgh look to it. * * * The Master and the Matron of the workhouse at Stratford-on-Avon have resigned, and the guardians have been "considerably discussing" the appointment of their successors. Eventually it was resolved, not only to reduce the salaries, but also--hear this, ye licensed victuallers!--to cut off the beer-money hitherto paid. What dignity can possibly attach to a workhouse officer who has to pay for his own beer? It is by such insidious attacks as this that the foundations of public confidence are shaken, and the whole fabric of the Constitution is endangered. My mind misgives me when I attempt to forecast the future of Stratford. * * * At Tetbury there is a lodge of the recently-established Conservative Working Men's Benefit Society. It is called--_absit omen_--the Trouble House Lodge, and quite recently it held a _fête_ and dinner. 'Tis always _fête_-day somewhere in the world. Indeed, the amount of _fêtes_ that take place on any given day in provincial England is astounding. Without frequent _fêtes_ no district can be considered respectable. * * * In the world that we live in our troubles are great; To add to their number is scarcely the game. Nay, how can these lodgers delight in their _fête_, With perpetual trouble attached to their name? * * * At Owens College, Manchester, so I gather from the letter of "An Old Student" in _The Manchester Guardian_, some of the students are beginning to feel, that "while its teaching of specific subjects is admirable, in fact, unsurpassed, its general education--that education which consists in the development of men--has not yet reached the same level." They therefore wish to develop athletics, and by making the modest subscription of 10_s._ 6_d._ compulsory on all, "to decoy the unathletic man into taking exercise almost without knowing it." At present only 150 out of 800 students pay up. I heartily commend this proposal, though I confess I should like to know what sort of exercise it is that a man can take almost without knowing it. Let the unathletic man be decoyed by all means, but let him thoroughly understand that he is to take exercise, and take it, if possible, with reasonable violence.