KYEBURN.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 125, 21 July 1871, Page 3

KYEBURN.

(From our own Correspondent.) Did you ever have your bumps elt? This is the question which at present occupies the attention of the Kyeburnites. It is useless buttonholing an acquaintance and asking him what he thinks of the Eeid administration ; or if the Education Board have yet determined to establish a school in this locality. No, it is useless. You perceive at once, by the twitching about the mouth and the nervous motions about the extremities, that it is coining. Did you ever have your bumps felt ? No, I certainly never did. My speculative friend volunteer* to invest two-and-sixpence on my behalf, if I will only gratify him with the pleasure of my company. I cannot resist his solicitations, at the same time informing him that probably we might invest the tvvo-iiud-sixpence more profitably, as representatives of t'lat noble institution "the Press" are usually admitted free to such entertainments. We took our departure from my country residence on a somewhat dark night, and groped our way through tussocks and speargrass, over races and paddocks, and safely reached the creek, which we " waded through." This is not a very pleasant preliminary to an evening's amusement, but it had to be gone through. We at last reached the Pass Hotel, in front of which were ranged, in martial array, several iron and tin pots filled with mutton suet and illuminated. These pots, commonly called " slush lamps," shed a most ghastly radiance around the neighborhood. A few visitors moving about in the gloom, had a most demoniac appearance. The tout ensemble was well got up, and was certainly not a bad prelude to a mesmeric seance. Upon entering the room j in which the entertainment was taking place we found between sixty and seventy people assembled, and the by no means small doctor airing his eloquence. The worthy doctor explained the nature and application of phrenology, but was somewhat more retentive with regard to mesmerism. As the doctor did not enlighten me on the subject, and as I do not pretend to understand the matter myself, I cannot of course enlighten your readers. Suffice it, that several gentlemen amongst the audience were beguiled by the doctor's suave tones to have their bumps felt. Poor deluded mortals, I pitied them. The first process which they underwent was to have the natural covering of their skulls rubbed into a shaggy heap, somewhat resembling a mop or a rolled-up door mat. After which very questionable proceeding the learned Professor gave a very graphic sketch of each individual's cranium. I must admit that he was not complimentary, and from several hints that that gentleman let fall about bulls, pigs, and peacocks, I came to the conclusion that phrenology and zoology must be very nearly allied. The entertainment wound up with a d,°nce, but at this stage of the proceedings I found that my speculative friend had so well invested the half crown devoted to the welfare of the Press, that he required seeing home. Upon this matter, however, I must drop the curtain, for friendship is sacred ; and as my friend might possibly have been affected by the doctor's animal magnetism, I will leave my readers to surmise how we re-waded the creek, etc., etc.

Mining matters have nearly been at a standstill tor the past few weeks, owing to the hard frosts, The weather is apparently breaking up, and the wea-ther-wise predict a heavy fall of snow. It is now four years since there was a severe snow-storm on the Kyeburn, and I am credibly informed that upon that occasion the inhabitants were unable to leave their houses for a week. I trust that we shall not be troubled with such a visitation this season. It is, however, not too late, and the severest of the weather is yet to come.