THE MACANDREW BANQUET.

Evening Star, Issue 3950, 22 October 1875, Page 3

THE MACANDREW BANQUET.

To the Editor. Biß>—Your paper of late very much reeembles another active evening existent—viz., that little bloodthirsty, hopping, biting thing, the flea. Like the bites of the little monster, the attacks of tho .Star on Provincialists are perfectly intolerable, and unless it behaves itself better it will, i fear, suffer like its congener the flea gat a crack between the thumbnails of public opinion, .another bite, sir, an-l crack goes the match, down come the blankets and look out for tho old lady’s digits. Permit mo, sir, to add to your list of amusements your own funny antics. 1 admit the biting affords no amusements, but tho hopping does • it, i* far more natural and lively than “ venlriloqnilical and theati ical performances. ” It scums a little queer taat any other performers can act when and bow they please without at all disturbing your equanimity, but the moment Provincialise show the hj as:, sign of action there i« an immediate downpour of invective or sat re from yolir editorial storm-cloud upon their de-

voted heads. Tour last out-pour of vinegar respecting our “programme” will have, I trust, nearly emptied your vial. No doubt our “programme” would have been different had we sought your assistance, but thanks for your well-meant advice; it however came too late, but had it indeed come much earlier I am not sure that it would have been acted upon. If you will not come to the “ banquet” please allow ns to enjoy ours,dvrs in peace. The “ death of the four Superintendents ” is perhaps more imaginary than real. You may perhaps share the consternation and disappoint ment of the sexton who, going out at night with his “ evening ” lamp to disinter the body of a lady| which he had recently buried, for the gold rings said to have been left on her fingers After removing the earth and coffin lid ho discovered, by the aid of his lamp, the desired rings ; but so tight were they on the fingers that in his endeavors to remove them he had to use his teeth, but clumsdy biting her fingers, when, to his unutterable terror, the supposed deak lady arose bolt-upright in her coffin. This sexton, in bis consternation, ran away, and left his lamp behind, by the aid of which the lady walked home to her supposed bereaved friends, and lived many years thereafter. Now, sir, it is quite within the bounds of possibility that you may act to Provincialism the part of the sexton ; your little “evening” lamp may light the path back to active Superintendents! Ufa; but in doing so you may, like the sexton, lose your lamp for your pains. I think, sir, that you are equally at sea regarding the closing part of our perfoiraance; the curtain will fall without the gnostly “ dissection” business to which you allude. There is not the slightest use in “dissecting Reynolds and Wales,” a-< they are thoroughly understood therefore dissection would be a work of superogation ; and, by-the-bye, I think your illustration a very inapt one. As “dissection” presupposes death, and if those gentlemen are, as you infer, dead, I would suggest that when their dead bodies are brought to Dunedin that the mournful requiem which you have suggested, accompanied by a ‘star” light procession, should be sung over their defunct remains.—l am, &c,, W. Hoopis. Dunedin, October 20.