AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 3843, 18 June 1875, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

Mr Wilson, who lives in the Ballarat district, is blessed with a strong-minded and a strong-handed wife. (So says “ Atticus in the Melbourne ‘ Leader. ’) Shortly after the heneytnoon was over she began keeping pigp, and butchered them herself, killing as many as fourteen in one day, filling up the time by shingling and rebuilding the house, enlarging the garden and planting trees. Besides this, she makes her own dresses and her husband’s shirts and stockings, keeps a public house, serves in the bar, and doctors all the neighbors. The only question is, What can her husband find to do? An amusing incident occurred at the recent Sydney Exhibition. An old lady who had not teen in town for more than a quarter of a century was being shown the lions by an affectionate and attentive grandson. She was delighted with everything except the women. “In my yonng days,” said she, “when girls had been punished they didn’t glory in cheir shame.” “ Why, what do you mean, grandma?” “Why, all these girls with their hair cropped short over the foreheads must hive just come from the female penitentiary at Parramatta.” A little further explanation brought out the fact that the coiffure for female convicts in the good old days was the same “fringe” over the face in which so many damsels now so much delight. Miss Lydia Hanley, domestic, of Launceston, is a courageous young woman. When her dress took fire, she lifted a small tub of water, threw the contents over her shoulder, gathered her dress close about her, and called to her mistress, who took her to the water-tap, turned a full supply on, and thus completed the operation of extinguishing any smouldering fire in the dress. The young woman had her right hand burnt in squeezing her dress together. The execuses which people will make to avoid serving on a jury are manifold and ingenious. One man is conveniently deaf, another has a sick wife, a third is a druggist, and has an assistant who cannot distinguish between seidlitz powders and arsenic. They manage things better in Sydney. Two or three jurors recently made excuses without the slightest avail. At last, one more wily than the rest came up. “ Why do you wished to be excused?” inquired the judge. “Suffering from typhoid fever, your Honor,” replied the man. The judge immediately ordered the juror to be conveyed home by two policemen, directed thot the windows of the court-house should be opened, and adjourned the court for half-an-hour. with the object, it may be presumed of indulging in a little fumigation. Judge Stephen, at the last Assize Court at Dubbo, New South Wales, had to request the jury; “ to leave off munching apples and listen to him.” But that disrespect was not so bad as a juryman showed to a Supreme Court judge in Victoria not very long ago. When his •Honor commenced his charge, the foreman of the jury, on whom he had fixed his eyes, calmly and deliberately, in view of the whole court, winked at him. The judge tried not to notice the insult, and turned his eyes away to other members of the jury. But it was in vain: there was a horrible fascination about the foreman that compelled him to meet his glance, and every time he looked he was winking and making faces. The audible titters in the court at last forced him to vindicate the dignity of his position. “ If you are not more respectful, sir,” said he, “ I will commit you for contempt.” The foreman winked at this so absurdly, that even the prisoner in the dock burst out laughing. “ Your conduct is disgraceful, sir,” said the judge. “I will adjourn the court for twenty four hours, and send you to gaol for that time.” The unfortunate juryman just spoke in time to save himself. He was subject to a nervous complaint, which, whenever he became excited, manifested itself in these facial contortions. His very anxiety to follow the judge made him wink, and he had not the slightest ide iof disrespect. His Honor brought his charge to an untimely conclusion, and the sheriff received instructions never to summon the winker again.

Prince Batthyany’s name is an historic one, and recalls the memories of 1848, that year of European uprisings and revolutions. He was one of the noblest and most powerful princes of what was once the independent kingdom of Hungary. He was, with his compatriot Kossuth, one of the foremost men who sou<>ht to free his country from the domination 0 of Austria. His property embraced a large territory, and possessed a numerous population During the civil war against Austria, Prince Batthyany rawed from the tenantry of his own princely domains two regiments of hussars numbering together nearly 4,000 men, and equipped them at his own cost. It was in vain that Kossuth, Bern, and other patriot Hunganans contended against the Austrians and the Russians who assisted them in suppressing the liberties of Hungary. One of the family Batthyany was|tned and shot at Pesth, and before that event the palace of the princes had been made the stables of the Austrian dragoons numbering 230 horses, was stabled in the spacious drawing-room of the ancient palace of the family. Ever since the defeat of the independant party of Hungary, Prince Battyany has made England his home, and now his name will become famous—not because of his connection with a noble house which did so much and lost so much for Hungarian freedom but bemuse his horse, Galopin, won the last Derby, Such is fame.