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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 43, 24 April 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

A Snake in the Crinoline. — A remarkable escape from almost certain death occured a few days since to a female at the Waterloo Estate, near Sydney. A woman and her husband had been taking a walk in the vicinity of a lagoon, and had sat for sometime near the edge of the water. On rising to return home, the woman fancied she felt something at the back of her dress, but as nothing could be seen there no further notice was taken of the matter for some time. On passing a friend’s bouse, however, at a short distance, she stopped to speak to one of the inmates, and while doing so again felt a movement as if something alive had got between her gown and petticoat. Becoming again alarmed, and placing her hand on her dress to ascertain the cause, she was horrified to perceive a snake drop on the ground from beneath her garment. It proved to be a large death adder —the most venomous of all the Australian reptiles. The deadly intruder was soon despatched by the husband by a blow on the head. The woman had walked a considerable distance with the adder coiled beneath the folds of her dress. Her escape under the circumstances is truly wonderful, and is only to be accounted for by her extensive crinoline preventing immediate contact with the snake. Whether from the unusual heat of the season, or from any other cause, we never remember to have heard of snakes being so numerous as they appear to have been of late in almost all parts of this and the neighbouring colonies. — Sydney Empire, Dec. 24. Pkince Muhat. —ln the spring 0f1848,1 crossed the Atlantic in the same steamer with Prince Murat, and happened accidently to have a seat > next to him at the table. He was going to Franco ~ to derive what advantage he could from the revolution of February. I found him a most goodnatured, jovial companion, with a good deal of a certain kind of shrewdness and wit. He was extremely careless about his person, an immense feeder, and the most formidable snorer I ever met. Unfortunately for me, his state room was directly opposite to mine, and as he always slept with his door open, I had the fullest benefit of the terrific noise he raede at night. More than once, after lying awake for hours, 1 have in sheer desperation hurled my boot at his berth; which rather forcible protest he would always take very amiably. His proportions were not of the Darnel Lambert order, but ho was developed considerably since. The last time I saw him in Paris he was in full uniform, covered with orders, and a sight to behold. What a change his fortunes hove undergone! To be elevated from a sort of New Jersey squatter to be a member of the Imperial family 0 f France, with at one time a squint at tiro throne of Naples. The Prince used to wear on his head a very old and very rourdi soft felt hat, which was anything but ornamental. Apropos of this hat, ho told me that, before he left home, his wife insisted that lie should buy a proper blrck herd-covering at Leary’s, so soon as he reached town ; that if he would not to do this, she would not consent to sec him off; that ho told her he could uot afford the extravagance and that if she made so unreasonable a condition to accompany him to New York, she might stay in New Jersey. He had with him a famous white plume which used to distinguish his father on the field of battle, or rather the whalebone remains of it. Ho had acquired a great reputation m New Jersey as a horse jockey. It is said ho would start off for a journey on the back of a sorry Rosinauto, and return home, after an absence of several weeks, driving a stylish pair of horses before an elegant carriage, the result of a series of successful swops. He had a great natural taste for mechanics; and from his conversation seemed to consider Mr. Stevens, of Hoboken, the greatest man of the age. We arrived at Liverpool on a Sunday—the very day on which the election was to take place in France for members of the Legislative Assembly. Immediately on landing, the Prince and 1 went together to the Adelphi Hotel, and there learned that as luck would have it, the election had been postponed one week. The Prince took the first train for London, crossed the Channel, hurried down to his father’s native department, announced himself as a candidate. Other arrangements had been made, and other candidates were in the field ; but the name of Murat was a spell, and bo overcame all opposition, and was returned almost unanimously. Since then his fortunes have constantly tended upwards. I called upon him in Paris. He was not in town ; but a few days later he sent an aide to me, inviting me to his country seat. Unfortunately for mo my engagemonta at the time would not permit me to avail myself of this invitation. I sub- 1 sequently saw him once, as I have intimated, at a public ceremony, but had no opportunity of speaking with him.— Harper's New Monthly Mayasi: e. Holloway’s Ointment and Pills. —Damp weather, diseases of the throat, —Whenever tho atmosphere is surcharged with moisture, a vast number of throat affections arise, which, though simple at first, soon become complicated and serious. Holloway’s Ointment, thoroughly rubbed over the top of tho chest aud glands of the neck is admirably well adapted to euro all such corncures, without the pain of swallowing medicine, which is a matter of moment and consideration in childhood, when irritation begets fever, and increases the severity of every symptom. In quinary, diptheria, ulcerated sore throat and scarlatina, this Ointment rubbed on the skin, will dissipate all dangerous indications, and conduct tho patient with celerity and safety to perfect health. — fAdvt.J We see, in a recent statement, that the “ Census embraces seventeen million women." Who wouldn't be Coneue ?