From this newspaper 50 years ago. - When Mr Robert Wearmouth, of Dotheboys Hall, Bowes, thought he saw a pussy cat a-creeping up on him along the Bowes Moor road towards his establishment the other day, it was not an illusion as one might imagine, but a real live cat by the name of "Darkie".

As it happened he was in need of such an animal and so he took it in. Once in the Dotheboys Hall, however, "Darkie" immediately recognised its mistress, Miss Jean Edgar, of Kirkby Thore, Westmorland, who a week previously left home to take up an appointment as cook for Mr Wearmouth.

"Darkie" had remained behind, but obviously not for long. Instead it must have been very soon on the road in search of its owner, because by the time it reached Bowes it had travelled 30 miles over the Pennines, a route it had never transversed before, and without a single clue as to the direction taken by Miss Edgar.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. - This is the first week that the main thoroughfare of Darlington has been illuminated by means of the electric light. The satisfaction is general, the public knowing that perfection cometh only with time and the machinery getting into a settled working order. At Stockton they kept the gas lamps lighted for some weeks for fear of any mishap, but at Darlington the lamps on the route of the electric light were extinguished from the time the Mayoress put on the current on Monday evening. All has gone well since, and time alone can show whether the new light will furnish a profit as gas does. To make both paying concerns is the aim of Ald Barron and his committee. We must give electricity some time to show itself as a profit earning commodity. Of its advantages as a clean and brilliant illuminant everybody is convinced.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - A Ripon licensee's practical joke with his kitchen staff has finally backfired. For when Tony Jones altered a customer's order from a bacon and egg sandwich to banana and egg the Black Bull kitchen dutifully provided. A startled Tony, who normally writes down "cow and horse" for a beef and horseradish sandwich had to explain away the practical joke to his customer.

But fortunately the customer, who had already eaten his bacon and egg sandwich, was part of a kitchen plot to get their own back. Behind it all was Tony's wife, Sandra, who said this week that his orders for sandwiches often had the kitchen staff baffled.