Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 19 November 1895, Page 3

Notes and Events.

» Foxton is not big enough to contain Mark Twain, more's the pity, both for the Foxtonians and Mai k Twain. Could he be persuaded to come he would be assured of—m t plenty of dollars, but—a most beany welcome,- many desiring to thank him for enlivening many a weary hour. . Mark Twain has told us that on giving his first lecture " the tumult in my heart and brain and legs continued a full minute before I couid gain any command over my* self"—this has all worked off _by now and therefore he will not object to our drawing attention to a cartoon in the Melbourne Punch in which he is made to hit the Australians rather hard. Mark Twain is drawn as facing three or four birds on a tree, and thereunder ia written : - (" I did see one of your native creatures while I was in New South Wales. That was the laughing jackass. But it wouldn't laugh for me. I tried to maka it laugh, indeed I did ; but it respectfully declined.") Mark Twain (later): " Great Scott! that first bird must have been stuffed. 1 never had so appreciative an audience in my life before." Mark Twain is credited, or discredited (?) with not liking Bret Harte! Who has not enjoyed " Thb Society upon the Stanlaus," and the " Plain language from Truthfu James" and other poems? Bret Harte understood the heathen Chi nee, and the little game of cards tha bis partner Nye and Ah Sin had a band in, is well described in the fol lowing two verses: — But the hands that were played By that heathen Chinee, And the points that he made Were quite frightful to seeTill at last he put down a right bower, "Which the same Nye had d alt unto me. Then I looked up at Nye -■ " And he gazed up >n me; And he rose with a sigh, And said. " (Jan this be ? We are ruined by Chinese cheap labour " And he went for that heathen Chinee. The beautiful simplicity of objectto the heathen copying bis betters in the art of cheating is thus neatlj put, and we have come across ftv writers who have better grasped th< capability of the Chinee to adorn h moral and point a tale, if its merel) their own pigtail. Bret Harte h however not the only author as the few lines called from a volume of poems by an Australian author wi>! prove. It ia entitled "My other Cbinee cook," and after an introduction says— He was lazy, he was cheeky, he was dirty, he was sly, But he had a single virtue, and its name was rabbit-pie. The pie is described :— How excellent, how succulent, back, neck and leg, and thigh! What a noble gift is manhood! What a I trust is rabbit-pie! ' The pies were delicious and con* I Untied from day to day for a week I when John was ordered to provide

even more, tt is said he was taken aback at this and fcndeavotired to explain its impossibility, but the BOSS would not listen. " Go ! let us have tea early, and another rabbit pie !" Oh, that I ban stopped his answer ! But it camo out with a fun i 11 Last-a week-a t» enty pappy ; tbifl-a week-ft X."ppydonel" « Ju- 1 liien my wife, my love, my life, the appie of mine eye, Was seized with what seemed "maMle' ttier "__" s ; c k transit " rabbir-pie ! A terrible npaet no doubt add : — And I— l rushed on Johnny, and I smote him hip and thigh, And I never saw him more, nor tasted more . of rabbit-pie. There is but little doubt that in this volume, J. Bruntou Stephens has grasped the peculiarities of A us* traliau life with as touch accuracy as either Mark Twain er Brat Barte have of American life, and the 'book baas come to hand, to us both new and most refreshing, though it counts ten years of life.