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Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1725, 4 June 1886, Page 4

The advertising columns of English newspapers frequently contain somewhat odd announcements, but we do not remember to have seen for a long time anything more charmingly ingenuous than the following advertisement, which i ectmtly appeared m the columns of a Vimua journal;—" A respectable married couple, of whom the husband is no dancer, desires to make the. acqnaincauce of an equally respect-.ible couple where the wife is no daucer, m order to visit the balls m company." Not much farther back than the beginning of the present century sheep-stealing was v hanging matter. Jock M'Graw, a farm laborer, had stolen two ewes from his employer; he was caught and condemned to be banged at (.he Town Cross, Just as the cart with the doomed man was Bearing the ga]luws a great o-itcry of a womau's yoice was heard—"Stop ye inhuman monsters ! slop a meenit Jock, Jock, I maun speak a word to ye !'* "Stop, stop!" cries the mob,,, it's Jenny M'Graw, wan tin' to say a pah-tin' word to her pair man!" The procession whs stopped, and Jenny, rushing up breathless, cries, " Hey Jock, man! whanr will I'plant' the tawties next year?"' Pair Joclc, whose heart had been at his mouth on seeing his wife's anxiety to say a parliug ■word to him, although facing the gallows, felt his corruption rise, :md m great wrath replied, "Plvwit the tawties nuxt year! In yer lug, ye cutty!'' '* Guidsakes, preserve us a'!" crinrt Jenny, looking round on the mob for sympathy; "did ever ye's hear the likes o' that ? Oor Jock's buffed because he's gauu to be hung !'