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Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1532, 9 December 1873, Page 41

According to a writer in the Academy, there are four vast areas which have never been traversed by civilized man, and which among them constitute about one-soven-teenth of the whole area of the globe Of these the greatest is toe Antarctic region, the extent of which is about seventy-five times that of Groat Britain; the second

lies about the North Pole; the third is in Central Africa; and the fourth in Western Australia. The areas of these unknown regions of the globe arc estimated, approximately, at about 11,000,000 square miles. Peculiar Swedish Customs. —Among the the many peculiar customs of this quaint people, they ordain that morning calls shall be made in full evening dress; hence one must not be surprised to see men walking about the town at mid-day dressed as if they were going to an evening party. It is a strange conceit, but among people who tell you that salt-spoons are antiquated and unfashionable, and literally scout the idea of using sugar-tongs, on the pica that your own lingers cannot defile the sugar that is intended for your own tea, one is astonished at nothing. For a “soiree,”as every evening assembly is termed, it is essential to wear a dress coat, but one need not be particular about ■ the trousers—black, white, or grey—suit r your fancy and you will be i» the fashion. -7“ Up in the flprtji " bv Thomas Sharp,

How to Prevent .a Horse Stumbling.—William Douglas, late of the 10th Hussars, writes as . follows: —“ The cause which led to the sad and sudden death of Bishop Wilbcrforce must be my apology for troubling you with this letter, having seen it stated that the accident was probably due to the fact of the horse not being sufficiently in hand. This in my opinion, is, although a general, yet a very mistaken idea, for it has only been those horses ridden up to hand that I have seen fall. If you tie a man’s arms to his side and give him a slight push, ho will tumble down to a certainty, and as surely will any horse fall if when ho stumbles his head is held up tight, by the rider attempting to keep the the animal up. Just as a man linds it necessary when he stumbles to throw out his arms to keep himself from falling, a horse in the same manner, when similarly circumstanced, needs his head free to keep on his feet. It is quite a mistaken notion for any rider to imagine that by pulling the reins he can cither lift his horse over a leap or upon his legs again after stumbling. A pull at the bit in a horse’s mouth will certainly cause the shoulders and knees of the animal to sink. We have only to watch an unmounted horse stumble, to notice how easily and naturally be recovers bis footing by precisely opposite aids to what riding-masters as a rule, teach, A horse so circumstanced drops his head and neck in order to relieve the shoulders of their weight, and when thus cased the animal'can recover his foothold upon the ground; but put upon him a dumb-jock aud rein him up tightly, and I will guarantee that if ever he stumbles down lie must come. During an experience extending now over JO years, 1 never knew a horse to fall from a mere stumble that was ridden with a loose rein, while on the other hand, I have seldom seen a horse ridden, ‘ up to the bit,’ who, if be tripped, forgot to tumble as well. The only use of the hit and reins is to guide, 1 halt,’ or make a horse rein back, and when we protend we can do more than that with these articles we are simply attempting the impossible. If the rider's feet rested upon the ground, thou by using them as a power the horse might be raised a little, hut not otherwise. A baker can lift his basket, but he could not do so with himself iu it,” Withholding Corn.—Between eighty aud ninety years ago there lived in the Connecticut I’ivcr Valley, two farmers, one of whom was named Hutt and the other Clark. In the course of a few years they were appointed deacons of the church, and they both adorned their profession. About the time of their election a grievous famine prevailed in the valley, aud the farmers generally were laying up their com to plant the ensuing season. A poor man living in the town, went to Deacon Hutt, aud said: “ I have come to buy a bushel of corn. Here is lire money. It is about all that I can gather.” The deacon told him he could not spare a bushel for love or money. He was keeping double the usual quantity for seed com the next year, and had to stint his own family. The man urged his suit, iu vain. At last he said: “Deacon, if you do not let me have the com, I shall curse you.” “ Curse me!” exclaimed the deacon, “ how dare you do so ? ” “ Because,” said the man, “the Bible says so.” Nonsense,” exclaimed Deacon Hutt, “Yes it docs,” replied the poor mau. “ A Veil,” said the deacon, “if you can find any such text, I’ll give you a bushel of corn.” They went into the house, m hen the man went to the old family Bible, turned to Proverbs, 11, xxvi, aud read, “ He that withholdetli corn, the people shall curse him; but blessings shall be upon the head of him that scllcth it.” The deacon was fairly caught. “Come along, said he, “ and I will be as good as my word.” He took him to the corn-house and measured out a full bushel of corn, helped the man put it into his bag, assisted him in slinging it upon his shoulder, and, just before his departure, being somewhat of a wag, he said, with a twinkle of the eye, “ I say, neighbor, after you have carried this com home, go up to Deacon Clark, mid curse him out of another bushel.”

"Afcticns," in tlic Melbourne Leader, says : —An excellent idea was stalled the other day at the I'rce Discussion Society. It was proposed by a gentleman whose name is not given, and who thus lost his claim to immortality, to pass a law by which members of Parlimeut, who break their election promises, should be imprisoned for obtaining money under false pretences. The beautiful simplicity of this plan for keeping members up to the mark must be apparent to every one, but I'm afraid it would check the eloquence of gentlemen when addressing their constituents. The principal objection to it, however, would be the expense to the country in providing additional jail accommodation for our criminal legislators. They would want suites of apartments, libraries, billiard tables, smoking rooms and handsome gardens ; and as the granting would bo in their own hands they would get thorn! T think vrn must try and find out soni •■ ' *ny of i< our members from ssoai . .reacts of promise.

A man not acquainted with the dark ways of telegraphy went into a country station with a message which lie insisted on having sent immediately. The clerk accommodated him, and placed the despatch on a file. The man loitered about some time evidently disatisficd. At last his patience was exhausted, and lie broke out with " A'n't you going to send that message?" The operator politely informed him that lie had sent it. "No, yer a'n't," replied the indignant man, " There it is now on the file."

A genial and unselfish consideration of the comfort of others is one of the rarest things in the world, and when it is found it ought to bo chronicled. A Cincinnati editor, who has indulged in heavy life insurance, is said to be followed whenever he goes a-iishing, by the agents of several insurance companies affectionately '"•aring life preservers and suu umbrellas,"