Amusing and Instructive.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 352, 22 February 1866, Page 1

Amusing and Instructive.

Sensation in a City Cab. —A very extraordinary scene occured the other day, in car No. 12, of the Third Avenue line. While the car was going down the town, with the usual miscellaneous cargo, a well-dressed gentleman got in, near the corner of Sixteenth Street, but owing to the crowded condition of the vehicle, he was compelled to remain standing on the platform. Ho had scarcely been there live minutes when a most extraordinary hubbub arose inside, one gentleman exclaiming that his watch was gone, another complaining of the loss of his pocket book, while an old Irish apple vendor declared in tho richest Milesian tones that the contents of her basket had disappeared “ intircly,” and kept showering her choicest epithets on the “ nmrtherin spalpeen” who had taken advantage of a “poor lorn woman.” Two elderly New England spinsters also joined in the chorus, the one missing her handkerchief aud the other here portemounaie. Matters now assumed a serious aspect. The conductor stopped the machine and started after a policeman, and a well known city merchant suggested the propriety of everyone submitting to be searched offering to set the example himself. The suggestion was unanimously adopted, and the operation commenced in the presence of the policeman who had just then made his appearance with the conductor. The sceno which ensued baffles description. The well known downtown merchant’s coat pockets, to his unmistakoable horror aud astonishment were found crammed with the old Irish woman’s apples which had also found their way into the pockets of the gentleman who had been robbed of his watch, and in those of the complaining spinsters, while the missing pocket-book, and handkerchief were discoveied on the person of the newly arrived policeman, and two live rabbits, leaped out of the conductor’s capacious coat pockets, and disappeared under the ladies’ crinoline. The excitement was now at its height. Everybody was up, and talking to everybody else; but the watch and portemonnaie were still missing, when tho gentleman who hud been standing on the platform, but who had taken advantage oi the “ noise and c onfusion” to secure a seat inside, quietly picked up two apples from the floor, and opening them, found the missing watcli in one aud the portemounaie in tho other. About this time the stranger was recognised by one of the passengers as Herrmann, the celebrated prestiuigitaieur, who then explained that, feeling very tired of standing up, he thought he might procure a seat by creating a slight commotion inside ; and, having accomplished his object, now begged to apologise for the liberty he had taken. Hoars of laughter pronounced him “ not guilty but the old irishwoman continued to grumble, and, like Rachel, would not be comforted for the loss of her apples, many of which had suffered a total eclipse in the contusion of the moment. A two and-a-hulf gold piece, opportunely slipped into her hand by lien-man, soon reconciled her, however, to tiie new state oi things/ and alighting with her empty basket, she went oh her way rejoicing.—New Fork Home Journal. Ready Wit. —A boy, sc,ling newspapers at a railway station, was caning out one Saturday evening “ To-day’s Times, gentlemen upon winch a passenger, attempting a witticism, cried out, “What is the use of today’s Times? I’ll give you a shilling for to-morrow’s S” and the boy immediately handed him the Sunday Times. Tiie passenger refused to give him more than sixpence, but his fellow-travellers made him keep his word, and give the sharp-witted lad a shilling. A mill in Lee, Mass., makes three miles of paper collars daily.

How do you know that time is money ?—Because it is so easy to spend an evening. A man having hurt his forehead was advised to rub it with brandy. Some days after, being asked if he had done so, ho answered, “ I have tried several times, but can never get the glass higher than my mouth!” Men are seldom full of their subject, except when they are talking of themselves.

LiiiiUHAL. —Au old maid is more liberal tlian a young one. 'l'iie latter tuaj always be willing 10 lend you a band ; ibe former tmu give jou one, a,ud even tliai k you too.

MILITARY MOVEMENTS AT TARANAKI. (Prom the Taranaki Herald, 10th Pehruary.') Wh reported last week that General Chute had arrived at Warea on Monday, the 29th Jan., and that on Thursday heavy firing had been heard and a great deal of smoke seen in the direction of Waikoukou, the main position occupied by the Taranaki natives and their Waikato allies. It appears that on the latter day General Chute attacked Waikoukou on two sides and took it, but the natives, as might have been expected from the nature of the country, retired without difficulty, and probably with little loss, after firing a volley or two at the advancing troops. Nevertheless, the taking of Waikoukou is an undoubted success, because it has shown the rebels that they can have little hopes of finding a place to live in where they cannot be got at. The following is an extract from a private letter written by a gentleman who accompanied the expedition:— “I write you a few lines, thinking you might like to hear what went on the other day. The idea was to surround the rebels and cut them _o Corbett’s company went up to Warea on Tuesday evening, went into the bush from Warea, and travelled on to Okeanui, where, I understand, he got near them into a track which brought him out near Waikoukou. However, before he got there, lie was discovered, and exchanged shots with the natives, and, fearing to be surrounded during the night, he got on the top of a hill in a clearing, and remained there, again exchanging shots with rebels. Early on Thursday morning, he was just teliing Isis men to get their blankets together, when firing from the General’s party was heard; he hurried up, 100 late, however, to cut them off. Captain Livesay, of the 43rd, started on Wednesday night from Opunake, marched all night, and came up about a quarter of an hour after the affair was all over. He heard our shots, but could not come up to us at once. We started at about 3 a.m., on Thursday, the Ist instant, in the following order : —Friendlies, first; Von Tempsky’s men second ; General Chute and Staff and 43rd, third ; 14th and Artillery lest. The track, I understood from one of the 43rd men, was the same—at any rate part of the way —Colonel Colville went, and crossed a river about half way up the track. We then went straight on. About sor 6 a.m., we came out at Waikoukou after going some considerable distance through forest and.busti. The friendlies and Von Tcmpsky'u men went round on one of the Hanks through the bush. The call was ttien for the 43rcl, the Li eneral having moved up to the head of the 43rd column. Just as wo got up, wo hoard some single shots, apparently in different directions, from the bush, like warning shots ; then I heard in front more shots, and soon we came out in the open antt went on to get under cover of a bank, the rebels blazing away heavily over our heads. Then the 14tti came up ou the right of the 43rd, aud soon after I saw the Staff waving their swords ami hooroohing on the men to the village. Part of the iiih and. 43rd went and I went with them into the village. There was no one in the whares when we got there, but some shots came irom the bush, and so the men at the bank returned the fire at the bush, blazing away like beans, which the General, however, soon slopped. The rest of the force, with some 14th and 43rd, had apparently gone round to try and cut off the enemy, and in about a quarter of an hour every body turned up from somewhere. The 14th had one poor fellow killed, and Corbett had two wounded, I saw also two wounded friendlies. I never saw a rebel i_aori, though I heard plenty of their bullets, and hardiy any one except McDonnell saw any; but they kept up a heavy’ fire. It was the luual thing, heavy firing and nobody to be seen. The men behaved very well. The General is a very plucky fellow, aud goes in for the thing like uuy o*her officer. Alter tho enemy had disappeared, which, as 1 have said they soon did the men piled their arms and destroyed a lot of cultivations and the villages. The next morning the General said there were ten Maoris killed.” Tho part of the three led by General Chute in person started on Thursday from’ Tipoka, six or eight miles beyond Warea whilst Captain Corbett’s company of .bushrangers (about a dozen of whom are natives) started at 1 a.m. on Tuesday from Warea and went nearly straight inland in the direction of Te Puru. The greater part of Wednesday was spent by Captaiu Corbett in searching ' the bush in tne direction of Waikoukou, in tiie course of which lie came upon some small settlements or temporary camping grounds of the enemy, where they had brought a good deal of their moveable property —calabashes, pots, tools, Ac. — from tiie pa, under the misapprehension that they would be safer. The friendly natives, who acted as scouts, fell in with some of the enemy not far from Waikoukou, aud a slight skirmish ensued, and Captain Corbett’s presence being thus known, they came out in large numbers, and Captain Corbet thereupon retired some distance and took up a position on the top oi u small hill, the friendly natives occupying another position close by. The enemy directed their attention to the latter, firing heavily from the surrounding bush, and one of the friendlies was wounded, after which they piled up stones as a breastwork. Soon after sunset the enemy withdrew, aud the next morning just as Captain Cornet was gelling ready for a move, the living was heard at Waikoukou; he immediately pushed forward, and arrived in time to take part in the pursuit that followed, during i which the Color-Sergeant of tho company (J. hurdle) received two wounds, fortunately uot severe, i Atier burning the whares and destroying the i maize, taro, &e., the force returned to Tipoka, and , the next day the vieueral went oa lo.Opunake on bi* return to Whmiganui.

On Monday the sth, a small force consisting : of part of the 43cd L. 1., under Captains Livesay and Horan, and Captain Corbet’s company of Bushrangers wont to attack the pa or kainga of Tautabi, bettor known as Hoaui Arawhititaua. The place was taken and destroyed, and it is said five natives killed.

An important brigade order has been issued by General Chute ordering all officers at outposts to harraiS the enemy as much as possible.

We extremely regret to have to add that on the road to Opunake General Chute’s force destroyed or took away a good deal of friendly natives’ property—a proceeding as foolish as it was wrong.