Our Contributors.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 460, 17 December 1880, Page 3

Our Contributors.

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION,

(Btf Garnet Walch.)

•Public picturedgaileriesT-Our MarshallHalf -mast-'-Aghastly joke—Two statues.

-"',\*'-"A word or two concerning a highly important matter in connection with modem ' I refer to the art,—-for an art •*t* has become—of '* show printing "—in other words the manufacture of those elaborately executed, gaily colored anifouncements, which under the distinctive _ titles of streamers, posters, day bills, win- ~ dow cards, and what not. diecorate our outward walls, or glow behind the plateglass fronts of our shops. In the olden

.«' days we w«re content with plain writing in biff black type, on variously tinted uhper, but nowadays the play or mixt-d :<<!!itertaini«eHt nut heralded by all the .volors of the rainbow nrgues itself but second rate. Since the days when Adam Hirst found that Eve was fair to look upon tbe senses of man have been charmed in ttiultitudino isdireetions through their eyes. and recognising this, the theatrical printer of the present time certainly baits his hook in a most captivating manner. Now in Melbourne, in this year of grace, 1880, we pride ourselves that we are not one whit behind our fellows of the older world in many of our products, and in Tfiis particular line of M show printing," I think we may fairly indulge in the boast. There is a little office down a Mrrow lane, near tho Opera House, whence every afternoon, save Sundays, is issued a email journal entitled The Lorgnette, and from this office also comes the major por-

tion of those brilliant posters which tell us pictorially or in so many set words, that Mademoiselle Foljambo is about to

astound the world of Melbourne with her

performance on the tight rope, that Signor #» Popolani will shortly appear in his unequalled ride to Siberia on a score of milkwhite steeds, that Monsieur Petitpoi and his redoubtable troop are on the eve of 'their comet-like burst above the theatrical horison, or that more prosaically-labelled Mr John Jones lias definitely arranged the "Slate for the impersonation of the sabletailored Dan«—from this little office emanate alike the gorgeous blazonries of the circus, and thoke "tasteful, judicious interblcndings of the chromatic Bcale whicn high class artists do prefer. And ■l it is really worth anyone's study to notice -»lidw each fresh genius or combination of talent is put before the public in some new ji-ZY- and attractive form. The hoardings of a SVvfcig city, apart from that nude nightmare, '*" the " Holman Liver-pad " fiend, and one or two other kindred horrors, are so many ±al fresco art galleries, so many founts JK whereat the people may halt and be rey freshed. * The little office above alluded to is the bower of a master-fairy, one Marshall, who during the past few years has wrought wonders in the color show printing line, and has proved himself a worthy compeer of the great show printers of London, • New York, Birmingham, Philadelphia, and " Chicago. As one who mixes much amongst theatricals, who even, heaven help him, dabbles in the drama himself, * it has been my lot to inspect nearly all the posters used by a 'ong successive train of histrionic stars, and I unhesitatingly aver that "Our Marshall "holds his own with the best of the imported work. Possessed of the only complete establishment of the

in the colonies, Mr Marshall super- * adds to this a degree of personal taste in the supervision of the work, which goes

far to ensure the happy result attained. No wonder then that he gained the highest award for color printing at the Sydney exhibition, and bids fair to carry off as exalted honors at our present show —but goodness me, how I have run on to be sure. Ho 1 printer, a " full point" thus . The Exhibition flags were at half mast on the 23rd, and not only the Exhibition flags, but others all over the city. A good nld man had gone to his long home. Poor Sir Redmond Barry. We shall miss him much. He was the beau ideal ot a real English gentleman—and " a judge," a's I once heard a detective say—" a judge that the criminal classes preferred to be tried before." There is something almost ludicrous in this, and yet, oh reader! place yourself (metaphorically of course) in the dock, and I believe you would rather be calmly sentenced to seven years by one of Nature's nobility that accept half the term and a vulgar slang-whang-ing from the tongue of an upstart protege of some conscienceless Government.

Of all the grim and ghastly jokes with which the gossipers of a big city are wont to ward of ennui commend me to the statement boldly circulated throughout Melbourne that Sir Redmond's fatal carbuncle was under the left ear—"just the place where the hangman's knot is adjusted, you know," a3 I heard one block stroller explain to the other—finishing up his hideous lie with a reference to the tiger-at-bay taunt of the murderous wretch, Ned Kelly, in which he challenged the late'judge to meet him at a certain awful judgment-seat. That Sir Redmond's somewhat sudden death should have given rise to such commentb as the above show how much of semi-savage superstition still lurks in the minds of the average hiiidan being—civilisation, education, and modern religion, all notwithstanding.

I presume that the Barry Statue Fund, commenced some two or three years ago, will now rapidly reach the needful amount and that the front of our noble Public Library, which Sir Redmond found3d and of which he was always the mainstay, will be the spot chosen for the erection of the statue. I only hope that the inscription will be in good set English, so that all men may understand. If any of the readers of the Akaroa Mail will send in their ideas of how the sad inscription ought to lie worded, I will take care that sach suggestions are duly forwarded to the proper quarter.

The other morning at the Central Station Court a prisoner, charged with drunkenn«ss, made such earnest denials that His

o'nor deemed it his duty to cross-examine

the arresting officer. " How do you know that tho prisoner was drunk?" he asked. "Well, he was trying to balance himself ou a picket fence while he made a speech," was t c reply. 4i Hasn't a citizen a right to stand on a picket fence if he prefers ? '' queried the prisoner. 4 'i always make my speeches from the topof * fence—always." "Any other signs? " .asked the Court, '• lie spoke abuwt its being the ' Glorious

Fourth,' your Honor. 11 " Sposcn I did I Can't a man be a few days off in his reckoning without being drunk ? I can't

lug an almanac around in my pocket just to keep the run of thedatis. 1 presume j said the * Glorious Twenty-fourth,' but he

maliciously misunderstood me." " What else ?" " When I went to collar him he said lie was the great American eagle."

a What if I did ? " retorted the man. '• We are -all great American eagle's for that

matter. Is it against any law of this land of liberty to be an American engle ? " His Honor hesitated, but finally asked the officer for any further sign. " Well, when I got him collared, he said -he wanted

me to distinctly understand that he was a gentleman—a perfect gentleman—as much of a gentleman as any gentleman in town." '* I can no longer doubt that he was drunk, and he is fined 5d01.," promptly remarked the Court, and the guilty man was ordered to fall back and make room for the next. The speech delivered by Mr Gladstone at the Lord Mayor's banquet on the 9th inst has tended to lessen tbe distrust felt with reference to the foreign policy of Great Britain. Tho foreign Press interprets the Premier's utterance to mean that England is abandoning her isolated action with regard to Greece.

The man who gets maddest at a newspaper squib is usually the fellow who borrows the paper he reads it out of.

To endure patiently is as clear a proof of loyalty as to do valiantly ; for each of these brings into exercise that essential element of the noblest heroism, Christian self-possession.