Thrilling Scene

[From the San Francisco News Letter.] If thcro is one germine and noblo attributi; still inhabiting poor, fallen humnn d ature, it is the God-like instinct of assisting one's fellow-menin momentsof hiddon distress and unlooked-for physical danger. Upon occasions wben human life hangs in the balance, nothing is more touchiug and creditable than the mannor in which personal comfort aDd snfety is at once forgotten, and frieuds aad focs join -svith eqnal ardor in auch vital emergencies. The truth was illustrated with peculiar forcé yesterday aíter noon, as many of our readers are already aware. A couplo of children, playing at the córner of Piue and Kearney streets, heard proceeding from the sewer opening a faint and evidently much-exhausted voicc calling for help. Some one, apparently a child, had evidently fallen down the trap and was in nent danger of suffocation. Tho news was soon communicated to the passcrsby, and in a few momente tools were brought iiud the pavement was being rapidly torn np. In a short time a dense and excited crowd had congrcgated, and the sand and stonea flew in a perfect showcr. No one held back. Kid-gloved dandies took their places beside sturdy draymen. As fast as one man carne up oxhausted, another promptly stepped into his place. Gen. McComb's well-known form could be een in the midft of the workers, while Auditor Maynard desperately tore up tho compact soil with his bare fingers. At intervals the faint voice from the Kewer could be heard gasping, " Help I Hurry up !" and the like. Col. Barnes came by, shouting some encouraging words down the hideous opening, and, flinging asido bis coat, seized a justrelinquished piek. By his side, with clenched teeth and dripping brow, his enemy of the day before, Frank Pixley, worked a heavy crowbar. At this juncture the socne was rendered more inteuse by the appearance of a poor woman fiom a neighboring alley. Slie had just niiftsed her little boy, and, with the unerring intuition of maternity, guessed it was her Johnny who was elowly smothering down in that frightful hole. With terrified shrieks she alternately wrung her hands and covered her face with her npron. The sight of the poor crushed creature brought tears into the cyes of many a stalwart man present. " Would they be too late ?" was the whisper that paesed from oue palo bystander to another. Jasper McDonald feil out of the ranks of the diggers and lay upon the sidewalk, utterly worn out, and Barton HUI, the actor, stepped into his place. Mayor Bryant threw his official dignity to the winds, and, thcugh equipped with nothing but a piece of tin can, did good service. The brokers, coming up from the just-closed board, pifched in with a will. Sandy Austin came near being submerged by the caving earth as the pit deepened, and Turnbull in a few minutes looked as though he had been resurrected by the last tramp. Even some of the workingmen's party lent a hand. In just twenty-two minutes from the flrst alarm the sewer level was reached. The last spadefulof earth was thrown aside by Mr. Scott, of Wells & Fargo, wheu, amid the deafening cheers of the immense crowd, the little prisoner emerged, dripping and almost dead, from his critical position. It was a parrot, and had left its perch in front of a neighboring bird store, and had fallen down the trap, and - but that's all. The First J apáñese l'arliament. The Japanese in their Btrideo toward the modern civilization have not stopped with the introduction of an educational system, an improved agriculture, railways and telegrnphs, but are now cantiously proceediug to liberalizo their form of governnient. The first Japanese Parlianient, as it may be called, met last montli at Tokio, and consisted of a gathering of the provincial Governors. These Governors, to be sure, were not elected by the people, but their object in meeting had a significant squint toward popular suffrage in the future. This object was to devise a seheme of local selï -government for the varions provinces of tlie empire by Legislatures elected by the people. The Legislator must be 25 yeais of age and pay an annual property tax of $10. A similar property qualification is proposed for the electors, who, however, may be allowed to vote at 20. Government officials, teachers and priests are to be excluded from the sutïrage. Strictly local iiViii rs only are to be submitted to these provincial assembiies, and national topics are interdicted. These conditions were all impcsed by tho central Government at (he beginning of tke Parliiment, and will no doubt be oompüe.l witl. The Mikíulo presided at the opening of the Pariiament, and made a speech from tho throuo, and therc vm& considerable attendant fuss and foathers. The right of the people to information coneeruiag the proceedings of the Assembly was recognized by the concession of special accommodations to the reporters of the nativo press. Tho Mikudo may seom to grant littlo by these privileges, but, once having a taste of popular liberty, the faeile Japanese aro liable to press ahead till their now allpowerfnl Emperor, who not so iong ago was even worshiped, will flnd hiraself the merest constitutional sovereign. That tlie people are drifting toward demoaratic ideas is indicated by this extract frora a recent democratie newspaper: "Our country is eow progressing in civilizütiou as swiftly as the sun rises. And if the officials will consider tlie rapid advaneement of civilization, they will recognize that the people will do longer bo ruled arbitrarily, btit are propared to stand up for their rights and libc-rties." Anolhcr Bemarkable Kussian Verdict. A verdict as remarkable as the acquitbal of Vera Sassulitoh has beeu rendered by a KusBian jury in Odessa. Three Evangelista began in 1870 to hold sccr( . t prayp.r-mectingp, and gradually extended thcir influence, until at laat who!e parishes joincd the hcterodox faith. Fur persisting in weaning the peasants frotn the orthodox faith in images, sainta, candios, and the paraphernalia of the RusBO-Greek Church, bhey wore cast into prison and kept there lor tbree years. The public prosecutor then brought thera into conrt in Odessa, and demanded that thcy should be exiled to the mines of Siberia. The piisoners appeared in oonrt with the New Testament is their líanos, and repliod to the aecusations of the Syuod. Forty witnesses - priestp, peasunts, and oftioials - bore record of the sincerity of the Evangelista. In dës'cribing the cenverts, the 3tudists, they declared them to be remarkable for their sobriety, honebty, and clearuess of principio, virtues in whioh theortliodox monjik is ever wanting ; and the only funlt which they conld flud with thom was that they would not to to church, nor in any way recognize ;he authority of the villago priest. Indoed, everybody spoke so highly of the itudists and of the good which had atwnded the preaehiug of these Russiau Wesleyaus, that it was generally feit the joverunient had committed an error in jringing the matter beforo a jury. Al;hough legally tíio oíTenders were Hable o cxilo for spreading heterodox views, lio jury, nfter five minutes' deliberation, bnnd them nll thiee not guilly, aud the verdict was hailed witü exclamations of oy. Wliat ('harloy Uoss Has Done for Honiclcss Hojs. Poor little Charley iloss did not sufer in vaiu. after all, for bis misfortune las beeu the uiraus of brining good uck to vcry mauy littlo boys, who , erwise, in all probability, wonld havo led Uves oí misery. In the course of his investigations Mr. Christian K. llosa has examined 497 boys, all of whom ■wero snpposed to bo the missing Charley. All of these save three, who had been stolen, were friendless scraps of humanity, Irifting homelesely over the face of the earth, and, throngh thepublicity gained for them by being mistaken for the lost son of Mr. Rosa, the groat majority of them were provided by charitable people witü cemfortablc homes. It shoiild be some consolation to Mr. Bobs thnt his qnest, while useIpks ti himself. has been so fraueht