~Luncheon Bars.~--The honour of introducing the modern style of luncheon bar must be awarded to the landlord of the Acorn, in Temple Street, who, having seen something of the kind in one of the Channel Islands, imported the notion to Birmingham. The lumber rooms and stables at back of his house were cleared and fitted up as smoke rooms, and bread and cheese, and beer, &c., dealt out over the counter. Here it was that Mr. Hillman took his degree as popular waiter, and from the Acorn also he took a wife to help him start "The Stores," in Paradise Street. Mr. Thomas Hanson was not long behind Hillman before he opened up "The Corner Stores," in Union Passage, following that with the "St. James" in New Street, and several others in various parts of the town. The "Bars" are now an "institution" that has become absolutely indispensable, even for the class who prefer the semi-privacy of the "Restaurants," as the proprietors of the more select Bars like to call their establishments. ~Magistrates.~--By direction of the Queen's Council, in 1569, all magistrates had to send up "bonds" that they would subscribe to the then recently passed Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayers and Services in the Church, and the Administration of the Sacraments. The local name of Middlemore appears among the few in this county who objected to do so, and most likely his descendants would do the same. The first twenty-five of our borough magistrates were appointed about nine weeks after the date of the Charter of Incorporation, 1839. In 1841, 1849, 1856, and 1859, other gentlemen were placed on the roll, and in April, 1880, ten more names were added to the list, having been sent up to the Lord Chancellor a few days before he vacated office, by some knowing gentlemen who had conceived a notion that the Conservative element was hardly strong enough among the occupants of the Bench. There are now 52, in addition to the Stipendiary Magistrate and the Recorder, and as politics _must_ enter into every matter connected with public life in Birmingham, we record the interesting fact that 31 of these gentlemen are Liberals and 21 Conservatives. Mr. T.C.S. Kynnersley first acted as Stipendiary, April 19, 1856. ~Magazines.~--See "_Newspapers and Periodicals_."