WAIST AND WASTE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 37, 12 February 1875, Page 2

WAIST AND WASTE.

" A lady " writing from London to the Australasian, concerning the fashions, describes a silver belt manufactured for Lady Sebright at a cost of three hundred guineas. "This belt" is said to be " mounted on blue velvet, and consists of clasps aod bosses of chased silver of quite marvellous workmanship. From it are suspended by exquisitely wrought chains more breloques than I could count, and all in thesame precious metal, and wrought in the same artistic and perfect style. A revolver, in its silver case, a dagger, a scissors-ease, a many-bladed knife, a thimble cnse, four smelling bottles — including salt flacon and vinaigrete — a compass, a corkscrew, a hand mirror, two combs, a pencil case, pen-case and. ink-bottlf, a card case, a noie> book, 11 purse, a cigarette«case a f nd matchbox, a paper knife, a watch, an almanac, pincushion, and drinking flask are among the trifles with which I can charge lay memory that are suspended from this nmazing girdle."' We are informed that this thrilling intelligence has created a profound sensation among the female frequenters of the Block. One silversmith has received an order for the following breloques in frosted/ silver: — A sheep's heart and plucls-ja currycomb, a frying pan, a pigVnead, a slop pail, a meat, jack, a tooth brush, a washing tub, a knife, a hair brush, a pnir of tongs, a pickle bottle, a muck rake, a dung fork, and a small tooth comb. Thegeneral effectof this chnrming assemblage of unconsidered trifle. 0 , depending from the wnsp-like waist of the beauteous creature who will exhibit them, may be expected to be entirely/ overpowering. We understand that/ the police have received special in/ Btructions to keep the footpath clear of inquisitive loungers of the male sesA* and that the young lady will advertisJT" in the daily papers when she and her girdle, with its appendages will be oA view. Compared with a fashion like\ this, how barbarous appears the custom \ of the North American Indian, who merely slings a number of human scalps from his belt of wampum! Shall we ever be able to raise the poor savage up to the lofty vantage-ground ou which j our civilisation has placed our noble selves? Could a she red-skin ever hope t.o become as shapeless, usdess, shiftless, and mindless as the fair and fragile females who hobble up and down the Block between four and five jprin.? Never! /

The scene on the ground dicing the firing of the last few shots tof the belt was very exciting. Every'shot of the six or eight foremost men was watched with interest, and now and again as a bull's eye was made, a cheer would come from devoted but unwise friends of the marksman. The most noteworthy feature of the shooting at the last range was the Bapid advance of Elder to the front, After two shots he stood two nhead of anybody, having begun three behind Skinner. Elder did not seem to be aware of his prominent position. As he placed bull's-eye after bull's-eye. on the target his good-humored West Couutry features brightened into a quiet grin of satisfaction, and more than once aa he returned »o his squad, after delivering his shot, he muttered sot to voce, ." I'll have that belt after all, hanged if I won't." But the fates were adverse, and like Tantalus, Elder h^d the cup put to his very lips andXihen withdrawn. When he had fired\his last shot he maintained his lead of tw,p over Skinner, who bad still one shot to go. If he made a hit the belkwaa Auckland's. The decisive nature of the shot was widely known, and there was breathless silence as the Auckland champion stepped from his equad. He looked straight, to the front, and betrayed no nervousness. Taking his aim be placed himself in the usual recumbent position, and, after a careful and moderately long aim, fired. All eyes were strained to the target. Before the smoke had cleared away a cheer arose irom the little band of Auckland well-wisheje-on the ground. Their eager eyes had descried the cloud of dust which the impact of the bullet bad raised on the target. Skinner did not move till the marker's flag came out, indicating an " outer." Then he sprang up, and for a few minutes be had enough to do responding to the hearty shakes of the hand from his jriends. Then another cheer was given, this time joined in by some of the Southern representatives, and (very feebly) by the Thames volunteers, who were unnmtakably chagrined at Skinner's success. The winner now tried to escape, but it was no go. Devore, Payne, and Goldie, his old companions, in the Artillery, seized him willy-nilly, and assisted by Boardman and others, hoisted him shoulder-high, and after sundry hair-breadth escapes, and being as often upside down as not, the victor, like Milton's dusky hero, " by merit raised to that bad eminence," was deposited safely on his legs, and after a further series of embraces, was permitted to smooth his ruffl d feathers and collect his wits, which must have been considerably scattered.