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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 459, 7 March 1867, Page 3

Select Literature.

AN AMATEUR “OTHELLO.” [Bentley's MiscellanyJ. s|||nE night Major P H Colonel C ———, of Q- , w ith one or two others, who were supping at the Bugle Inn, at Newport, amused themsclve* as follows :—A scene from "Othello” w»s fixed upon, Othello by the Colonel, who in order to look the character, blackened his face with a burnt cork belonging to one of the empty champagne bottles that stood under the sideboard. Tne nig Jit was far spent, when Lady ’ s coachman who waited to drive the Colonel home, and who had made several attempts to get the Colonel away, sent up word that “he could’nt keep his bosses out any longer, and that if the Colonel didn’t come immediately, he must driye direct to S without him.” The latter, not wishing to compromise an old and Valued servant, instantly complied, .and dismissing the carriage at the lodge, ""“ 6 u up to the house, let himself in with latch key, and went straight to bed, quite forgetting that his face was blackened all over.

la the morning Mrs 0— awoke, and, turning round, discovered a black man snoring by her side! Being too much frightened to scream, she Jumped out of bed, rang the bell furiously, and wound herself in the bed-curtains. In rushed the lady’s maid and bousea«@pcr* “ Oh, ma'am 1 what’s the matter, ma'am ?” cried both in a breath. “ Nothing happened to the Colonel, 1 hope, ma'am ? ” said the butler at the door. “Hope master ain’t took with a fit, ma’am?" pursued the footman, peering over the butler’s shoulder. “ Oh, take it away! take it away!” cried Mrs G , speaking with great difficulty, and giving herself another twist in the bed-curtains. “ W hat is it, ma’am P’’ said the femmede chambre, frightened out of her wits, “Is it in the bed, ma’am ? ” inquired the housekeeper, waddling up to it. “ Kna-a-aw ” snored the still slumbering Othello. “ Thieves! murder! ” screamed the women, running out again. “ Thieves! murder! ” Mrs 0 , applying herself to the bell da capo. “ Don’t be alarmed, ma’am," said the butler, bolting in, followed by the footman and groom, armed with what weapons they could lay their hands on, “ we’il soon secure the rascals. Lads, mind your heads! ” and with this he gallantly flourished tlie Colonel’s sabre, which he had appropriated ; and, supported by the rest of the party, approached the bed. “Hallo!” roared the Co'onel, starting on his “head’s antipodes,” for he had awakened by the hubbub. “The d ,by gum!” cried the groom, overturning his compatriots in his eagerness to escape. “Help! murder!” vociferated Mrs C —, stamping and jerking down the bell-pull. “Help! murder!” reiterated the footman, scrambling out on a<l fours, as if he were acting a stag-hound in some mythological charade. “ Here, Tom, Dick! Come back, you rascals,” ciied the bewildered Colonel., throwing his nigbteap after them. “ J ohn, you old fool you, get up ! Whe-e is your mistress ? If you don’t get up this instant and tell me the meaning of all this, and who keeps scream'ng behind the curtrhi here, I’ll fling the bolster at you, I will, you old villain! Are you all maa ?” “Bless in-, is it you, sir?” said the butler, ri-iag and rubbing the small of his back. “La, my dear, is it you?” cried Mrs C , peeping. “Me ! to be sure it is! Who the plague should it be ? What are you laughing at ? What are yon all so frightened for ? Did you take me for the d ? ” “We d ; d indeed, si;,” said the butler, us soon as ho could speck. “ And no wonder!” cried Mrs C , laughing heartdy. “ \Vliut in the world have you done to your f’aee, my dear? ” ‘‘Lace! Whai’s the metier with my face?” ineuiied the Colonel, who had forgotten eh about the previous night’s theatricals. Nay, you best know," rejoined his better half. “John, bringthe Colonel that glass.” “Eh ! Oh ! “ 1 recollect, now,” said the Colonel, looking at himself. “Ha! ha! ha! Ho ! ho! ho! Capital! glorious! No wonder you took mo lor toe d ! Ha! ha! ha! Ho! ho! ho! HowH and the rest of ’em will langh when they hear this. John, you may go.” And when the servant left the room, mo Colonel ei plained the matter.