LOCAL & DISTRICT NEWS. Under the title of “English Border Ballads”, a small volume will shortly be issued from the pen of MR. PETER BURNS, Brampton. It is stated that MR. CARLYLE has found evidence that his ancestors settled in Cumberland about the time of WILLIAM RUFUS, and that he is now busily engaged in collecting materials for an elaborate pedigree of his family. TRIP TO LONDON – An excursion train, the last for the season, left Carlisle for London on Thursday morning last. A goodly number embarked at Penrith. The time allowed in London is 5, 8, or 10 days. LAMB SALE – At one of the weekly series of lamb sales held at the Agricultural Hall on Tuesday last, a good number were sold at fair market prices, grey-faced lambs making from 12s 6d to 16s 6d, whilst the Cheviot and Leicester cross ranged from 19s to 24s according to quality. CONCERT – A concert was given by MR. SCOTT, in the George Assembly Room, Penrith, on Wednesday evening last. The artistes were MADAME WELLS, MISS MAAS, and MR. CHRISTIAN, vocalists; MR. NICHOLSON, Flute. The music was of a very high order, the flute solos being really beautiful, but the company was only small. CATTLE DISEASES IN CUMBERLAND – There have been no fresh outbreaks of pleuro-pneumonia in Cumberland this week, and no animals have been slaughtered, though the disease still exists upon two farms. Foot and mouth disease is upon six farms and also upon Rockliff March, and 292 cattle are affected. Scab is upon only one farm, where 30 sheep have the disease. WESTMORLAND AND CUMBERLAND YEOMANRY CAVALRY – The various troops of the above regiment will assemble at Penrith on Tuesday next, for eight days’ permanent duty; and it may perhaps be as well to remind the members of the regiment that, in order to have their horse duty for 1874 returned, they must bring their licenses with them. The review will take place on Monday, the 28th inst. FIRE: A PRINTING OFFICE IN DANGER – An alarm was raised in Penrith shortly before eight o’clock on Tuesday morning that the ‘Penrith Observer’ printing office was on fire, and all the machinery, printing material, &c., in danger of being destroyed. Happily, however, the fire was confined to the boilerhouse, and was discovered in time to prevent a conflagration. The fire brigade was present, and rendered every assistance. THE OPENING OF THE CUMBERLAND INFIRMARY after having been enlarged and remodelled was celebrated on Tuesday last by a public festival. There was a divine service in the Cathedral in the forenoon, followed by a special sermon preached by the Bishop of Carlisle upon the idol of gold, and about 150 ladies and gentlemen afterwards went to the infirmary to visit the improved and enlarged buildings, and to lunch together in a marquee where the LORD BISHOP took the chair. It was stated in the course of the proceedings that the alterations and enlargement had cost £11,300 or about double the amount originally contemplated, and that the subscriptions up to this time amounted to rather over £10,000, leaving a deficiency of nearly £1,300. The hospital now provides beds for 100 indoor patients, and convenient independent accomodation for out patients. SUICIDE AT STAINTON – On Wednesday last, a melancholy case of suicide occurred at Stainton, near Penrith. The circumstances are these; – a yeoman residing in the village, named THOMAS GRAHAM, 76 years of age, had, it is said, been suffering for some time from some internal complaint, from which at times he suffered the most acute pain, which had a great effect upon his mind. On Wednesday last, MR. GRAHAM had tea as usual without saying anything particular being noticed in his demeanour. After tea he left the house, when shortly after, MRS. PRESTON, a neighbour, found a coat and hat and stick, on a stone near to a well in one of her husband’s fields. An alarm was given, and on proceeding to the spot, the body of MR. GRAHAM was found in the well, covered with water, and life quite extinct. An inquest was held on Thursday, before J. CARRICK, Esq., Deputy Coroner, when the above facts were given in the evidence of two witnesses, and a verdict given that deceased committed suicide when in a state of “Temporary insanity”. =============================================================== barb, ontario, canada