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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 224, 21 September 1880, Page 4

A correspondent of a London paper writes:.-— Pi of. Maskelj.na mutt look^to his laurels. I have just heard the particulars of a decapitation exhibition in Yokohama, which far surpasses anything of (he kind at the Egyptian Hal). The performances take place in a small room, about 20 feet long by 12 feet wide, half being allot eJ to the spectators, who are admitted on the payment of two cents. The " properties " art •of,, the simpleßt desoripjion— a deal tai>le «nJ a sword,* &o. jAfter thr uiti^l soul-stirring iflourifih on a drum" and Bsmisen, a map atd woman appeal from: behind; a screen. The man bindi the woman's head in o cloth, and ah»th.en, kneels dp w,n close.to the table, and sideways to the specratdrp. A violent blow wilh the' sword is delivered .at the Womantsinecky and "she ; falls forward, jafma extended and limbs; twitching. Afier wipingthe swordon ■$ rg^ryrjooking rag, the man apparently takes op the woman's head rind places it on the table. To all apprarances it is a human head; the eyelids and features have t> convulsive motion. Presently the eyelids open in a dreary sort of way, and to the accompaniment of the everlasting samisen the bead sings a mourofujC song. A curtain is here interposed for a few moments between" the audience and the performers, 'and when drawri j back* the v w6man is discovered -uninjured. „ This ."; would, undoubtedly, make anew sensation in this country for our horror-loving poqple. j The following, novel 'response to ademand; for the payrqenfc-of a- debt ryr&sr treeeivedihe -other day' by- a firm—in:—fA.tn.in .'receipt .of notice.) .from, the wise men skllle.dln^aw>vcall?\. cd— , commanding me immediately" Ato pay up the just debt incurred By me, while trading in the goods and merchandise furnished to the small 'dealers by your firm, or otherwise be.proceedexT UgairJßt accordingto law ; for the recov T . cry of the same* Novir, as the scarcity •' of the gold, and of the silver, and of the copper, 'and the brass hath been a bye" .wordand a reproach in these parts for ..some time, I was mightily exercised in spirit wherewith to find the wherewithal to satisfy the said claim. KMpreovetf a I have never as yet interviewed * tb wise men, and the rulers and the judges of the people, fpr any cause } during my sojourn pi four years' land -one month' arid twenty an J seven days among the" people, I. was mightily cast down atthe prospect thereof. However, in my* , confusionan d tribulation . ,l!; \consul ted. 'the wise "m&n arWnd the coriier^ who gave me counsel as follows j — ' Young man, if this be a. just debb it must be paid. Go thou, therefore/ to: the dwellers in this part of the country, who are tardy in paying' their" debts Hd l you, and threaten , them, jvjth , the ,rha^. jesty of the law-gfoeft. oWttfey will pay thee enongH' to :cflatiafy ttheclaim, and thou mayesfc again hold .up thy head among th^ -peppigiV So.^eeV ing the counsel was good, £ girded up my loins," fl nd went among the people, and threatened, even asithpu^asfcdone, and made tje^latjltjpai^ pyrfcidnLbf that savoury d' : ah known as bumble pie (even as I hadeaten)::and lo 1 ! ! I have succeeded.- ;-Now, therefore, if thou presentest^the^nclosedXp^der at the office of the money changers of this town, called Bank of Wew^Zealand, kept by one named — , <w"ho isyof good repute, and a comely mail withal, thy just claim shall be paid in coins of gold, silver, brasg, &c, yes, even >unto '}$$"' last farthing, and the trouble ..betwee^f us ended." A cheque was enbiofied.>,|| A Word for the Reporters.^||| all forms of ingratitude exhibiteii fl|y| erring man, probably that" shown-? By t indifferent public speakers t6wards;pressr reporters is the grossest, and^ the blackest. , It J is. : not too feuch, /say] that it is to' tfie reporters tnafc such 'men owe their wh6le dlaimrtonotic'eV '> Were^ their speeches to appear, mi ther;haltiing^ disjointed, slipshod form in «which. they are delivered,, they .would be found, uendurableby all human capacity. 1 the reporters-acting, of course, not in* the interest of the speaker",* but of y his 1 ' journal and its readers— dresses fthpse^ slovenly sentences, corrects their defective grammar, suppliesby judiciously placed;, particles the wanting, continuity, and so presents them •in a shape ; in V which they can be read. His reward for all: this, is to be., abused; by ::the] speaker whenever opportunity "offers, and made to bear the burden of all the' speaker's blunder,s and mis-statements. t (As an illustration of c^hat the -average run of public orators would; be* witlioUfJ the arranging and harmonising aid of! the reporter >( ?we quote from the ' South Australian Jtegister" a verbatim re^ port of a speech made by Mr. Hay in, the Legislative Gpuqifeil;?ln»rthe course ' of a ■ discussion ■ on\ ; . Th*e contention of the) r ipn. -g6n^ll|man wasi tjiat reporters oaght : . : to^be v^howed noC discretion; ;in.^tiieir :wprk>= ,1 and that,C owing to 'tlTe^ oftj&^gti&JLtiey j vmade,- -, the( meaning-; .of^?speaUerß>- l ; were-" often, obscured/ 1 viAnd the is: the* precise sb>pe in which ''the > ho)i. g^ntlea? man threw ; his Remarks. :~-f' The re-: porters— -o;ugb> not 'tq^-tli^ reporters ought nob to be the ;pn^s ffo judged;, what is important— not 1 r t6 ; cay'; w^a^ should W left Vout^-l)nt i -rtKe ; ]eaemt|i

i can only judge- "^hat is important. |As I- — as my speeches-^-as the reports-4-as what I say is reported sorffetmfes, i no one — rnobody, can teUT^rio/npne-. jean, understand from the repbr.tsr^whai it is^-what I mean» r^ sSo^-it strikes - it has' struck me certain- mrittfers~4-h' ings that appear of importance^^wbat ;the member thinks of importance— are sometimes. left, out-^omitted. The |re- /; •porters— the "'..D'aper's— points'- .are; Ireported—l mean -vyliat the. paper : thinks ' of interest — is reported. I can't com-, pliment the reporters." The inqral seems to be, that .the fervent .prayers >of~speakers of this' class should- go lup .night. and . morning for the . reporters] - l who prevent them from showing their mental crudities and deformities "to jthe world, and that they should, never repudiate this beneficent assistance and insist on being faitli fully reported, unless they are sure that a conscientious reporter may not be at hand to take them at their word. The just-published report, of 'an Irish benevolent society says, "Notwithstanding "the large amount paid for medicine arid" medical attendance) very few deaths, occurred during the year." £•_ _„, . ~ & '■ l It is, stated thUt the great French painting af "RorkeV Drift,' by M. Nenville, which has long been exhibited in London, has been bought by Mr/ IW.1 W. H. Vanderbilt, of New .'York, for 3000 guineas. A highly encouraging report (says a Dublin paper) has been made by Cjol.. Dease, a member of the committee of the Duchess of Marlborough's fuM, after a visit to Connaught. He states f tha| distress is -by; no" means uniyerkal. •at present, though sWere':in . certiin districts; and the general appearance of the people and the Crops is most gratifying; turf especially has to! a great extent been safely drawn home and stacked, which is a good promise of comfort for the winter. Thdre is, ColoneJ 1 iPeiise adds, a class -sons" 'in 'tHe country who have *trkded on the sufferings of their felloW* countrymen for some months past for their own selfish ends, and by them any signs of returning prosperity must be viewed with dismay; but ito those who have administered the «yaj'ious relief funds/ with itn>fsolpißqiiety to '^benefit the 'sWering" poor" "to' the best of thdr po c w } er,. it cannot but be 'a source jof j satisfaction to feel thjat. 'their lefiofts "''have not been unavailing. w -j'r'". •' *' 'f ''I "^JLitf '* m ii/'li- i^i-uiiu..