THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 568, 4 November 1871, Page 2

THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.

no. xr.vrir.

The town appears all at oacc to have brokea out in operatic " spots," and every man, woman, and child worth :> straw is infected with a nuinh for buying a red cloak, a pair of kid gloviv, and n» opera glass. And whoever you go yon hear some of » eidi's. Aubet'-.-*; Mozart's or 11 s-ini'j '.'•-•HHtiiu! music being huinraed by I'tJirs', or whistled by gentlemen Thcve be-illtiful ariiis. solos, choruses. i avatinas, t-yniphouies. and what not kn-'-rtJ) as " iiill/ Barlow," '■ Let'B riust-f to tlio TWdfling," ""St. 'Patrick's t-ay,!\ and " Hie i)irk Girt r Divsse"d in j3iue,'; iovai (.he staple ot.ch^e fine operas, meet us at every iii:-:i. I am sharpeniny'up my musical ttiste by practising .several well known Euuiau airs !.o Jin^.b-h words, such as " The Sollicking j{ ims," " Meet me in the Lane," " Barney O'Hea," xo., upon that beautiful instrument knosvn as the English concertina. My performance upon this instrument is so sweet aud perfect that my neighbour's cog has been known to i.ovd for two hours uftervvard.s. while my neighbour himself, unable 10 appreciate the harmonious flow, ■generally clears out as-"I strike the first chord. Speaking about the opera trcipe rcmiuds me of the smartness of a izentiemaa, wi'll-kuo»vri among the ladies of Auckland as a would •be gallau!", whose talents liaro during the last to.v days shone out in a manner worthy uf Bamura husself. The gentleman \u question purchase.l Us enly-four tii1:;'. is fur the opera for seven guineas — thus paj-ing for them a little over six shillings each. .Bat it was not his intention to commit himself to any sne'i piece of extravagance as this, so lie at once proceeded round to a number of friends, and disposed, of his tickets—out' here, two there, and so' on, at ton shillings each. This of course paid him very well, and he will now be able to do tha Oig!>y Grand at the Opera House on the profits accruing from this smart tpeert ation. JJ.r'c had an idr-3 that s juj •; hin_c was to be done in this line, and wanted me to buy ujj the whole of the tickets, and retail thorn at a profit, if I had done a> he wanted, I should hare made fi'veral hundred pounds, but it is not too lute now, and 1 shall go in for buying up as many as I can get fur seven guineas the set, and retailing them at a little under single entrance fee—say l Os. '■ jl/io " Eretipiira ofiauij/fo*ti" !•! not dead,' and will, I believe, he ag.iin to ti;. front "fighting the battles of the- doctors," as he likes to term it. il:> is fza>v,<> . in, or, rather, coming out for i ity \V r- .:<;. The ftjllowiug is an early i:.ipy of the requisition and reply wi.i.h hare been shown to me for publication :—" !'n the Hi-iht rfonorable Mr. Gnorg' -ta:ne;. Km|., late M.P.0., and C.8." : The uudeisi.:ned electors ol City West having gi-i'a! \y rais-ped y>u since your relii'tineut among your barrows, cliairs, and fables, do Lu-reby request you to consent to be nlectod to represent th.s great district in the Provincial L'ounHl. VVe fj-el tliat after the disappointment you experienced in being shut out from the Mayor's supp t, you fully deserve our recogjjition, and we heiebv p-rdmiso to supuort you—should you be u^un overtaken' by the h-at of the ' sun. Like yourself, jwe are nmii or nur beef and beer, :md >>ill tftko ■is much at your expense as you itiiifik proper (o j^y f,> r . Should ycu be elected, we vrish you to abolish all tr.xes, thfoa- open public-hoiisps and cook-sh'oj)B free, and otherwise ameliorate the condition of the working classes.—We are, &c, Hill .Tones; Jack Smith, Tom Kobinson, 11. White, Bob Black, and a great many ujihoW tcb numerous to mention." 'he requisiliou having been presented i.;'i tlie Champjpn, who read it with tears in his eye.- j.ve.oughl.,in justice-to thatgenf le.uan, t» state tnat a second before he had partaken of a strong disc of liquorice-water j in a tumbler], that gentleman asked them to "-walk over as far as the ' Anchor' with ! him." This request was speedily complitd j with, and in a few minutes there seemed . a singular affinity" between the lips of the ! deputation and the lips of a number of;

1; large pewter pots filled to Hie 'oriai witli a Jiquor said by tliose best able to form an opinion to be nothing inorv uor !e.>s than WhiUon's beer. VVhile tin's pleasing ■ occupation wics #oitig 'on the Champion, having composed iiis feelings by staring [ hard nt the bofrom of ;i tumbler (doubtless to see if it was-a local industry), in:ide (lie folloiving rfplr :—" Grenttemt-u, I fee'i proud of the gfn-at honor- tfhieh you purpose besUowih-r upon me. When I look aitthisJa'r^e and influential depxifcaliou (consisting of iwo men anil a boy), the tears .i^iin spring up to my eyes, and fall unbidden into m ; y gin aiui wafer. (Loud applause.), .1 aic;'.*pt your confidence, and will at once pfajce myself in nn'nifh'ation. if elected, my first iduty will be to brin^ :n a bill to. abolish the, office of Mayor altogether, and another to legalise a lair stand-up ii-jht in the B'oanl-rodra between fciio councillors. (Frantic cheers and more ''afliuity.") i shall do away with Luxes, cause a ln;:>j> CO be placed at the< house of every one of niy baclcei's, j^o in lor a gO'ict Groverninent billet, and, if elected Superintendent, will turn out ovov-y one of the present officials— (iioroor!) —so letthem tree-embel. And now, gentlemen, return me at tho top of the poll (wo will, we will) —and th> Bhadow of my departed uncle shall fall upon and bless you—(sensation). In con- I elusion, let me assure you that you may j cill for anything you like to par for." j Afier (his, I think thero is little clou' fc ; about. Greordie's return. Whon i wrote the paragraph about Craig and Harris settling their little dis- ;

■puteg. by an appeal to arms, I little thought that they liad 'actually engaged •in t!ie"eojifllct. I think it is uo^f necessary more than e?ov that my advice shoiild he arferl UTLO.U. , . ™ .«-«^^-r*" f if ~ > j i :- •:■•■;■-■-■.' .: '.'"•'- -■■■ -■ ■' ' I eotafori ks f«<i *-.■■• ; ' ■ I v:-.,.'; G?enj ':■•-■ ■ .'■•'■ -■■'• ' -■.' . '■■' j tlieir boctii ovpt ■:■ ■■: ■■■"■■; ■ I Observe ths v ■.■;v' r ,-:.-..- ---! be placed upon Volunteers. They should not be tied up with so much reel tape. Why not study their tastes and feelings a little more ? Some objection seems to have been taken to one of our gallant defenders smokjng the other day when marching andxaanoßiivring "-atattention." t would even suggest that in future, as many of our Voluuleei*3 show a predeliction for making smoke-stacks of themselrcs, they should be all allowed to smokf on parade. Indeed, I son jio reason why a bundle of cigars should not be s "ye i out to each man with his am:niiuition, previous to tlic review next w«clr. Their teelings should be considered upon sucli occasion*—-poor fello'vs! It there should be -.n r.,casional explosion uf tatcidge-boxi-s, and an occasional journey into the nir by our citizen soldiers, ie would afford pleasaut diversion to the spectators. Pray let them have their ov\n way, and dv not distress them. And speakjuggfof tlie review, £ would earn stly ad vise-tub authorities to select One-tree Mill. It is out of the way, very few ptop'f will attond. and they wi i cousvquontly be out of danger. It will be safer in all respects. A.UHAN'IEL B-E£sWINJ.