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Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 100, 31 March 1885, Page 4

A. Brick-lTar<l Braiua. The scene opens with a family rehersal, m which personal and business matters are rehersed by a successful father aged sixty, and an inquiring son aged six. Son: 'What place is this, pa? 1 Father: 'This, my child, is a brick-yard." 1 'Whose brick-yard is it, pa?' 'It belongs to me, my child. 1 Does this big pile of bricks belong to you, pa. 1 ' Yes, my son. 1 'Do those dirty men belong to you, pa P 1 'No, my child. There is no more slavery m this country; those are free men. 1 'What makes them work so hard P 1 'They are working for a living, my son. ' 'Why do they work for a living? 1 'Because they are poor and are obliged to work. 1 'How are they so poor when they work so hard? 1 •*I don't know, my child. 1 'Don't somebody steal from them what they earn 'No, my child, what makes ypu ask such ridiculous questions? 1 'I thought perhaps some of that dirt got m their eyes and blinded them Byt,,pa v dqn't the. bricks belong to j them: afteir 'they have made them? 1 j 'No : ..chii<s; they belong to me. 1 * What are the bricks made of, pa? 1 'Clay, my child. 1 'What 1 that dirt dowri ' there ?' 'Yes, my child, nothing else. 1 'Who does the dirt belong to P 1 'It belongs to me, my son. 1 *Did you make the dirt, pa? 1 'No, my child, God made it. 1 t Did He make it for you especially? 1 'No, my child, I bought it. 1 'Bought it of God P 1 'No, my child I bought it like I bought anything else. 1 'Did the man you bought it of buy it of God V 'I don't know, my child, ask me something easier.' 'Any way, it's a gdod thing you've got the land, isn't it pa? 1 'Why my son? 1 'Because you'd have to make bricks for a living like them horrid mem. Will I have to work for a living when I'm a man?' 'No, mv boy, 111 leave you the land when I die.' 'Don't people turn to clay • when they are dead, pa ?' 'What remains of them is clay. 1 'When are you going to die, pa ?' 'I don't know, my son. Why do you ask? 1 'Nothing, only I was thinking what a hard old brick your clay ; would make. 1 " Snowed Up. Never m the memory of man (says a Home paper) has so much snow fallen m the Italian Alps as has fallen this winter. Terribly distressing accounts continue to arrive of villages destroyed and lives lost. Much heroism fcas been shown by the troops, and also m many cases by the victims of the disaster. An old woman of 83 years, who, together with nine girls, was disinterred after many hours' labor, with much difficulty, insisted upon the girls being rescued first. Innumerable touching incidents arerelated enough to fill columns. The number of deaths up to the present time is calculated at about 300. The rescuers work with much difficulty from fear of striking with their pickaxes those who may be buried beneath. As the bodies of the dead are recovered, sleighs, with the corpses, file down the valleys. Fears are now entertained of yet worse disasters when the unprecedented quantity of snow melts and great floods ensue Should a warm rain fall, the entire valley of the Po will be flooded. No Accounting for Taste. One of the excursionists to Auckland by the s.s. Gairloch, m writing an account of the sayings and doings of the party, gives the following account of a cermony which took place during their stay m Auckland:—'* The opening of the new suspension bridge across the gully m the Cemetery took place on Saturday last, the Mayor and Borough Councillors taking occasion to drink the usual loyal and patriotic toasts, and holding a gloriously convivial time of it in ' The City of the Dead. 1 I suqpose it is the first occasion on record — at any rate m the records of New Zealand — that a champagne luncheon has been served m a cemetery. It is a wonder the Councillors could be so jolly as they were considering the densely-packed' tombstones that surrounded them intimating the instability of all things earthly. But, then, people can almost get accustomed to anything. 11

Writes a correspondent to the Waipawa Mail: — " Fifty 'years of Sojourn !" Where ? Surely your correspondent must have dwelt among the untrodden ways, and not at all m the busy ways of men. Such arguments as his would come with better grace form five years than fifty. After admitting that drunkenness is a curse and brings poverty, he calmly assured us that drapers shops are as bad .' Are they ? During all these fifty years, did he ever see one of whom God gave the form of beautiful woman, caused by buying finery to stagger and fall m the gutter m a state of disgusting insensibility? Has his heart ever burned with anger against the wretch who gave that woman drink ? He never saw a man caused by buying new clothes with his weeks wages, to return home and beat, perhaps murder his wife or child ? He never saw a refined, highly educated man brought so low by spending his money m jewellery or dress, as to mix m a mad street brawl, or to reel m helpless imbecility through the town, which, but for one thing, would have honored him for his integrity and uprightness. No I say that he has never known snch things to be caused ; that they have never been caused by any thing but alcohol. But these have happened. Ay, each and all have occured unnumbered times, when the actors have been under the influence of that dread curse,