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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 215, 19 October 1878, Page 2

The following paragraph referring to the occasion when the Beer Tax Bill was rejected appeared in the Kangitikei Advocate. The authorship ofitjis attributed to Mr Fox: — The Government benches were completely taken aback, and the tableau was one which will not easily be forgotten by those who saw it. Mr Stout's breath (of which he has a very ample supply), seemed to be suddenly taken away, and he actually gasped. The Colonial Tresurer turned the color of lead, and put on a peculiar " dazed" look, a kind of a cataleptic stare, as if ho was waking up from an unpleasant dream. Sir George Grey pulled his hat over his eyes, stuck his knees up on his bench, and hid himself as far as he could from observation. Mr Fisher looked as if he had put his foot in a hoie; aud Mr Macandrew as if he stood very much in need of " material refreshment." The following account of the recent " sell" in connection with the proposed railway opening demonstration at Wellington was wired to the Post by its correspondent from the Upper Hutt :— Everything went well with the train until it arrived at Kaitoke, where it was arranged that there should be a stoppage to water the engines, whena whisper spread through the carriages that we could not get any further. At first this was supposed to be a " shave," founded on some bantering talk among the passengers on the way up, that we should not reach in time for luncheon. But the whisper waxed louder, and at last one of the two forward engines was detached and sent on to examine the road. A man had come in and reported that there were several slips between KaitoH Station and the summit of the hill and one more on the other side of the summit. After waiting about halr-an hour, the engine returned, reporting the road impassable. There was one slip— the nearest— that would take three hours to clean away ; some of the others were more serious, and altogether there are about three days' work to clean the line. This was the end of the matter, and there was nothing left but to return, without either reaching Feathersfou or accomplishing the opening, and return we did, reaching the Wellington station about two o'clock. Some of the passengers went on by coach, with the view of comforting by their presence the disappointed Featherstonians. On the whole it was a rather inglorious termination to a promising affair ; for the weather improved shortly after noon and gave indications of sunshine awaiting the visitors &c Featherston. Besides the hospitality of the people of Featherston to he dispensed in a kind of public fashion, there was a large party invited by Mr Walter Johnston, the member for Manawatu, aud of course this too was, perforce, relinquished.

Mark Twain is at Heidelberg, studying! German. But he has not yet succeeded in. transplanting one of his characteristic jokeß : into that language. A gallant captain in the Grenadiers was married last week to a very charming young lady. After breakfast the happy pair went ro the Crystal Palace, where a balloon was teady for them; and at 2.45. the bride and! bridegroom got into the car and sailed away ; with a beautiful breeze, crossing the Thames at Deptf ord, and after a journey of three hours landed at Waterbeach, near Cambridge, and came back to London by the night-mail. The bridegroom, on the Derbyday, 1577, travelled from Dover to Calais in: a small canoe, taking six hours to make the! passage. • j " Atlas" writes in the World :— I hear : that at the first blush our officers stigmatise Cyprus as a hole. It is as hot as (no matter where), only much more dreary. There is not a tree to be seen, not a single scrap of shade— not a soul to speak to, and ' nothing whatever to do; except for the Highlanders, who can have their fill of thistles, and Sir Garnet and his staff as much as they like of official work. Not a few ardent soldiers, who weie delighted at the prospect of a campaign in Cyprus, would gladly exchange it for the Strada Reale on the steps' of the Malta Club.— At Ktssingen the other day Prince Bismarck " tried his weight" on an armchair machine, and appeared anything but satisfied with the result. The ticket; handed by the attendant to the Imperial Chancellor showed that he now weighs 243 pounds 5 grammes, or rather more than 17 stone 5 pounds. He is therefor a stoneheavier than this time twelve months ago. Pull value for our money, no matter of ■ whatsoever kind the article may be that; we; purchase. The inestimable blessing of being restored to health by the use of honest and reliable medicines, can be procured by a moderate outlay. The reputation gained for) " Ghollah's Great Indian Cukes " since; their introduction into New Zealand, warrants, the assertion that they have not their equal 1 a3 reliable restorative agents. (See testimonials, and get the medicines of any chemist.)