MISCELLANEOUS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 267, 22 December 1874, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

GAZING AT THE COMET. ■■■••' A young Albany. (Oregon) couple were out on a door-step on Gospel Ridge, late on Sunday night, looking "at the comet, visible in the northern 'heavens. At least it Was evident, the; young lady wanted to seethe comet, because she was overheard to tell the youn<* gent to " keep his face oat of the way so. that she could see the, comet ?" Then there was a noise like the sudden drawing of a horse's hoof out of the mud, 1 and then—and then—well the old man his head out of the front door of that house, and the young astronomers turned,their backs to each other, and began counting.the stars with great vehemence. The.old.man told them that she spheroidal mass which they had been so diligently contemplating on the ethereal dome, scarcely demanded any. more of their united attention that, evening, and the young man would veryuxuch oblige him by peregrinating in the direction of his own local habitation at that immediate period of time, or he would enable him to count stars with more multitudinosity. The young man didn't., further wait upon the order of "gettin'," but "got" at once. •• I! . : FLOATING BATHS. Floating swimming baths are cbming into fashion at Home, and the first just placed on the Thames is described as being a handsome temple of iron and glass, with a dome at each end ; 'its entire length is 180 feet, the width '3l feet, and the bath itself, which affords a swimming area of 135 by 25 feet, is paved with 'encaustic tiles, fitted at each end with filters capable of purifying water at the rate of 1000 gallons per minute, and flanked on both sides by dressing-rooms, hot baths, etc. A feature of: these baths is that at certain hours they are set apart for ladies, a staff of male and female professional swimmers being always at hand to give lessons. During the winter months a stream of hot water is conveyed through the bath to regulate the temperature. The success of the first of these, baths at Hungerford Bridge has been so great that a second at Pimlico, having a swimming area of 200 feet by 40 feet, was commenced in October last. A WARNING FOR HOLIDAY TIME. Before and after—it is always the same st6ry ! The other day, in Detroit, an individual from the rural districts, having considerable money in his possession and being moderately drunk, was warned by a policeman to take care of himself. To which the self-confident bacchanal responded : "You bet I will! Why, mister, I am chain lightning rolled up in a ball and stuck full of red-hot bowie-knives. I'm a thunderbolt from the North ; I'm a regular rip-up thun-der-bolt ! Folks want to let me alone, they do !" Alas, that such a dream of invincibility should be dissipated ! When the morning dawned on the drinker, where was he ? Well, he was discovered by the same policeman fast asleep in a. coalshed. His eyes were in mourning and there was a non-natural hole in his head. Watch gone ! Money gone ! The policeman, arousing the slumbering individual, with a touch of irony in his tone, inquired, " Aren't you the Thunderbolt from the North ?" Then the Thunderbolt sat up, and slowly and sadly replied : " No, I hain't 'zactly a thunderbolt, but I'm the darned fool who thought he was."

The rumour that Sir Donald M'Lean had been appointed Governor of Fiji, is now proved to have been without foundation. Sir Arthur Gordon, late Governor of Mauritius, has received the appointment. ■ •