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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 922, 20 January 1871, Page 3

A very One-sided Affair.—The Prussians outside Paris!—Judy. Who was April Fool'? ?orae genius posted & letter to the Rev. Henry Ward JBeecher, on the Ist April, in which the only words were, "April Fool." Mr Beecher retorts: " I have heard of men who wrote letters and forgot to eign their name, but never before met a cas« jin which a man signed his name and forgot to write the letter,"

When the Delaware runs high in the neighborhood of Port Jarvis, crossing is somewhat difficult, making it especially annoying to parties living on the opposite side of the stream from the parson when matrimony is contemplated. In the early time, when Port Jarvis was a frontier settlement, and Parson Von Benschoten minister to the reformed Dutchmen of the bailiwick, he was called upon to marry a couple under difficulties. The stream was so high and rapid that to "skiff" across was impossible. He appeared on the one bank, they upon the other —the best they could do. Amidst and over-sounding the din of waters he tied hard the nuptial knot, and pronounced them man and wife, adding with stentorian emphasis, as he saw them gaily ascending the hill, " I say! you can leave the money at Hawkins's."—American Paper. The national pastime of Belgium, the great pigeon races from the southern provinces of France, has been abruptly put a stop to by the war. The French authorities have very naturally -interdicted the entry of Belgium pigeons into France. When it is borne in mind that there are 10,000 trained pigeons, any one of which could convey intelligence from Paris to tho frontier towns of Belgium, in which they are located, in the space of five or six hours, we cannot be surprised at the French authorities interfering with this pastime. The strategic information conveyed by a single pigeon might lose a battle or an empire. At the same time, we sympathise with the Belgians in the derangement of their favorite amusement. In England there is little idea of the fervor with which this sport is pursued by them. Concours from the extreme south of France, in which 1,000 or 1,500 pigeons take part, and in which the first prize is a service of plate given by his Majesty the King of the Belgians, are not uncommon ; and minor races of from 300 to 400 miles are of every-day occurrence in the season. During the continuance of tho war, the Belgians contemplate starting these pigeon races from England.