MISCELLANEA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 206, 21 October 1873, Page 7

MISCELLANEA.

It *has been estimated that the wealth of Baroness Bnrdett Contts, in the form of sovereigns, would weigh thirteen tons, and fill a hundred and thirteen flour sacks. The firm of Contts pud Co.jiow include^, Lord Walter the Brdther Ipf thc,j MarQUjjs of Lorn. \ f f J X \J The following amusing advertisement appears in the Bay of Plenty Times (Auckland); —The shades of night were falling fast, As through our little village passed, A youth, who drove so smart and nice, A bread-cart, with this strange device; “Bay of Plenty Bakery.” r The.caseof By Motion,, the bigamist, who tvas brought Up' at 'Sydney,‘-furnishes a re- • markable instance of woman’s love. The report, which appears in the Sydney Kars, shows that this disloyal M.D. still retains the affections of both wives, notwithstanding his faithlessness. While he was in the lock-up one wife brought him his dinner, and the other brought him something to quench his thirst ; while both are said to be very much Aistresspd .at.the fix into which. the qnfyrinnate doctor'got him self i . V s Infanticide must have been carried on to a fearful extent in Sydney. A meeting has been held there for the purpose of establishing a Foundling Hospital. At this meeting a lady stated that she knew of fifteen or sixteen cases in which young women had come to Sydney for the birth of their children, and had lodged with a certain" woman who nursed them, and closed their'childrcn with laudaj nura till they died, got away to California before her crime was discovered by any one who was prepared to have her punished. Vi Tf r Horace Greeley thus hits the nail o’n the head “It is strange how closely men read the papers. We never say anything that anybody don’t like, but We are sure to soon hear of it. If, however, once in a while, wo happen to Say a good thing, we never hear of that. We pay a man a hundred compliments, give him a dozen pulls, make speeches for for him out of nonsensical harangues made on public platforms, make him to appear lo say something brilliant, and he takes it all as a tribute to his greatness, and‘he never thinks it does him any good. But if we happen to Say things this man don’t like or something ho imagines is a reflection on his character, sec how quick he gets mad and flares up about it. • All our evils arc duly chalked against us ; but we never apparently get any credit for what good we do.” The Dnnnlly Express writes —“ We have been informed of what might be termed a slice of luck falling to the share of some | trusting butchers at Pleasant Creek, which, from its extraordinary character, is deserving of record. The case as told us is simply that j the firm carrying on the above business had | allowed a miner to get £5 into.its debt. . The | man, although honest, was unable to pay, and seeing no chance of profitable employment, resolved on leaving the place, and in order to clear the debt, tendered his interest in a reef claim, which was reluctantly accepted, in discharge of the account. On said shares two or three calls were paid with equal reluctance, and the interest all but abandoned. But a change has come over the scene, and from the proceeds of the almost valueless shares £40,000 has been paid for a station, and the claim still continues to yield of its golden treasure in such abundance that the retired butchers are said to be in receipt of £IOOO a week as their share of the proceeds.” We (Ballarat Courier) have received a letter from a miner at the Northern Territory, from which we make the following extract : —■ “ Bread here is od. the 21b loaf ; ale, 3s. per bottle ; horse-shoes, 30s. a set; preserved meats, Is. 3d. per lb. ; potatoes, 20s. a bag ; meals, from 2s. to 3s. ; beard, 30s. to 355. a week. There is one hotel at Palmerston, and one at Southport, but the accomodation in each case is limited. The cheapest route from Melbourne is to Sydney, thence to Newcastle, thence to Port Darwin, and thence to Southport, Total cost, £l4 ss. Provisions j are very reasonable at Newcastle, and cheaper than in Adelaide. Some of the people say some the of reefs will turn out very well, hut agreat many are swindles. A miner or any one else is much better off when engaged lieforehand than those who come on their own account, as there are no stores on tiro reefs to ■supply provisions. Let the miners of Ballarat, when they engage with a company, ' .make arrangements to have all their wages , paid in full monthly or fortnightly.” : The following is from a i lately published ■ book, entitled “Underground, or Life Below i the Surface,” by Thomas W. Knox : —“ A 1 story is told of a Frenchman travelling in a i railway coach in England, who was very ; anxious to change his shirt ill order to make [ a visit after the train had arrived, without } taking the trouble to go to an hotel. His • guide-book indicated a, tunnel on the road, ? and he asked the guard or conductor* how r long the train would be in the tunnel. The , guard mistook the question, and supposed i he asked how.long before the train would j reach the tunnel. He answered briefly x ‘half an hour.’ The Coach in which the t Frenchman was travelling was filled with , ladies and gentlemen. The traveller got s mown his valise, unlocked it, and made every--1 j thing ready for a change of apparel while r they were in the tunnel. As soon as they -• entered it he pulled off his shirt, and proe pared to put on a clean one ; but imagine bis e surprise, and that of his companions, .on dis- , covering that the train remained oidy three minutes in the tunnel, instead of thirty, A» - they came out in daylight lie was standing in a condition quits unfit for a mixed company , of ladies and gentlemen.”