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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 171, 22 April 1864, Page 6 (Supplement)

Frogs.— The Canterbury Press says that some frogs, the first imported into the Province, arrived in the Lady Denison, and were sent by order of Major Hornbrook. They were shipped in the condition of tadpoles, but- arrived at maturitv during the voyage. They have been placed in some pools in Mount Pleasant. Complimentary. —A gentleman—it might have been tko writer of this paragraph—felt very uncomfortable a week or so ago, when, on going to sit for his photograph, he was asked by the artist, who was by no means “ happy” in the pronunciation of some of his words, whether he;wished to have his “ fool-face” taken. The New Zealand Flax.— The [Melbourne correspondent of the Dunedin Evening Star gives the following item “ Mr. F. M. Eennia, of the Brown Hill, Ballarat, has discovered a process for the dressing of New Zealand flax, by which the gum, the great impediment to its useful manufacture, can be got rid of at a cost of not more than sa. per cwt.”

Captain Cadell, of Adelaide, baa been engaged by the New Zealand Government it", report on the state of the Waikato River. The Lettee “ H.”—A few days ago, an officer went into a shop in Auckland, kept by one of the children of Israel, and asked for an air cushion. “An ’air cushion,” replied the Israelite, “ why I’ve plenty of ’air, but its not in tick.” “ Its not a hair cushion, but an air one that I want,” resumed the officer. “ I know, I know,” said the Israelite, “ I ’ave plenty of ’air, but its not in the tick.” “No, no,” replied the officer, shaking his head, “ it’s not hair that I want, but an air cushion,” at the same time blowing his inhands, as if filling a bag with wind. “O, I see, I see, sir,” exclaimed the dealer, “its a hair cushion you want, but I don’t keep them hartieles.” — Onehunga Warden. A Novel Maeeiage Episode. —A rather amusing incident occurred a short time since in our neighborhood, in the shape of a somewhat novel marriage episode, and which may possibly be interesting to our readers, as it conveys some little idea of what may bd called “ low life on the diggings,” and illustrates pretty fully the truth of the old saying that “ the course of true love never did run smooth,” and that “ there’s many a slip ’twixt the cup and the lip.” The story may appear rather strange, but it is positively true, every incident being a well-known and attested fact, and is as follows:—A young lady who used to do the honors at the bar of an hotel not one hundred miles from the Dunstan, by some unaccountable freak of nature became enamored of a lucky digger, whose dealings somewhere in the neighborhood of the Manorburn had been productive of so large an accumulation of the precious metal, that he deemed it wise while it lay in his power to take unto himself another “ rib” to- cheer his future days, and rock a cradle with something else in it than specks of the filthy lucre. All things being bought, they started for the Dunstan Gretna Green, as some call it, where the Registrar, in lieu of that well-known disciple of Vulcan or Tubal-Cain, ties the indisputable knot in an astonishingly short space of time. Arriving somewhat too early for the performance of the interesting ceremony, the happy couple endeavored to while away the intervening hours, when unfortunately our lucky digger, who, by the by, was of rather an “ancient date,” being on the wrong side of sixty, partook of more than his nervous system would permit, and became somewhat in a state of comatose insensibility, from which species of lethargy it took so long to resuscitate him that he was too late for the ceremony, it being considerably past the hour allowed by law for the registration of marriage vows, consequently it was delayed for another day. But during the time the old gentleman was in a state of “ sublunary existence,” unconscious of all worldly cares and deaf even to the voice of love ; a “ gay Lothario,” in the shape of a knight of the kneading-trough, and who had once been a near neighbor of the fair damsel, and in the possession of his full youthful rigor, succeeded in extracting a promise from the bride, that she should give up the “ ancient one,” and take him instead ; but by some means she repented her “of her evil ways” and, in company with the object of her first choice, started bj- the coach for the near neighborhood of his residence, intending to return on the morrow, when it was again settled that the knot should be tied. The eventful morning at length arrived, both bride and bridegroom had partaken of the marriage breakfast, and were on the eve of again seeking the precincts of the Registrar’s office when it occurred to the bride that she should procure as a witness to the ceremony a female acquaintance who resided close by. A gentleman being present celebrated for his gallantry and adoration of the fair sex, who hails from the Emerald Isle, like most of his countrymen, was never so happj' as when engaged in either “love or war,” offered to accompany her quest of the desired friend and female acquaintance. Both of them started accordingly out, but, instead of conducting her has he promised, “ false hearted, insinuating fellow as he was,” he decoyed the too-confiding maiden to his own home, and liberally with P. 8., and other stimulants of an inspiring and exciting nature, succeeded in winning over her affections to himself, both swearing to bo mutually true to each other during the remaining course of their mundane existence. The return of the bride being so long delayed, the “ ancient bridegroom” became rather uneasy, and like Lord Lovel in the Christmas ditty, he sought his lost one both “ high and low,” loudly bewailing her probable untimely fate. After a long hunt, he discovered the object of his choice comfortably ensconced in the house of the gallant Hibernian, to which he was, of course, refused admission. He then attempted to console himself by, in diggers’ parlance, “ kicking up a bit of a bobbery” outside, to the infinite delight of his neighbors, but which so aroused the ire of his successful rival that he rushed out, revolver in hand, and bid the “ ancient” at once return to bis solitary cavo in tho rocks and seek no more the society of the young and fair, and leave love to other men more young and lithesome. But the “ ancient” would not be put off quite so easily, and for ever quit the falsehearted frail being without making “ a bit of a show so he offered ten pounds for the use of a revolver, wherewith to challenge in mortal combat tho man who had so insidiously deprived him of his peace of mind and happiness for ever. Not obtaining the required loan of the deadly weapon, ho agreed to forget and forgive, upon condition that the ring and other articles of jewellery, with which ho had bedecked his blooming and intended bride, should be given back. This was also refused, and the poor victim of misplaced confidence left for ever, in a very desponding state of mind, the whereabouts of one who had so unwarrantably betrayed his affections. The next day he sought the assistance of a regular old “ swiper,” whose love of deep sinking and an especial weakness for colonial, besides bottled ale and porter, rejoices in the cognomen of “Barclay-and-Perkins,” and who, being what sailors call a bit of a sea-lawyer, despatched a letter threatening legal proceedings for the recovery of the jewellery, and was successful in getting it returned to the misguided ancient, who promised to for ever abjure * the blandishments and coquetry of the gushing creature who had so grossly deceived him, as well as of her sex in general.— Of ago Taper.