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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 235, 4 October 1880, Page 4

An Elephant in inm Sky.— Tbe JEvening Standard of July 26th Bays that one of the most remarkable phenomena ever seen in the metropolis waß witnessed by the passengers on the George Peabody 'river steamer, just as Big Ben of Westminster was on the, point of Striking seven. This was the , appearance of a huge r white elephant in the sky making straight, as M seemed, for the Houses of Parliament. There wbs aome little doubt, at first as. to the, precise character of the beast, as it charged through the air head -first in a direct 'line for the centre of Westminster Palace, as though its purpose was to sweep away the halls and passages which connect the Commons House wrth the House of Lords. The apparition rapidly descended through tbe air, and speculations were bazirded as to what it was. Men looked up and trembled, while timid women screamed "Tbe end of the world is come, and we are all lost!" The captain of the Gr. P. kindly moored his boat lo the pier to give those who desired it the chance of eßcapiDg by way of Lambeth Palace. In an instant the monster was close upon tbe boat, and a chorus of Btartled voices shouted, "'A white elephant !.," There was no longer any doubt abont the fact, It was an elephant, whcn> trunk was rapidly moving from side to tiJe. With furious speed it passed over tbe stern of the G.P., and dasbed into tbe Thames. The spectators breathed more freely. As soon as the elephant touched the water half a dozen boats dashed from tbe pier to investigate the phenomenon. Cue oarsanan was far in advance of tbe ethers. He was seen to thrust a hand towards the struggling monster, and in an instaafc it collapsed —it was a gigintio elephant made of laths and paper.

' Clarkson, who made over £50,000 in the -Shotoyer .claim ,at the .Thames, was, lately working as a miner in one of the coal pits at Newcastle, N. S. W. ' . '• ' The Scotsman of 2 1st July, says :— ■ The Court of Session rose yesterday for the autumn": vacation. In tbe First Division of the Court, judgment was given on the disputed question of the remuneration of the liquidators of the City of Glasgow Bank. The result of the judgment is that the liquidators are gwen a lump sum of £35,400, of ;' which £10,500 each is given to "Mr. Jamieson and Mr. Anderson, and £7200 each is given to Mr. Cameron and Mr. Ilaldene. This apportionment has been made on the ground that Mr. Jamieson and Mr. Anderson were intrusted with, and carried through, the most important and onerous portion of the work of liquidation. The following is an extract from a letter written by a " Gentile" lady of St. Louis, after her return from her visit to Utah, to a friend in Beseret, and published in the Nmos: — " I have taken good care to mention every vir'.uo , con--nected with the character of the 'Mormons.' In fact, so earnest have I been that some of my friends think me oVetzealous. I believe them to be the most earnest, self-sacrificing, and industrious people I have ever met, and in no place on this continent, save in the Canadas, have I ever seen the Sabbath so strictly arid, religiously observed* I think of your Sabbath-school children, every Sunday morning, as gathered together from their homes under the shining mountains; and of your teachers, striving as earnestly as their Gentile friend^ away in the East to teach by example and precept the way to" 'the better 1 life 1 . On Sunday afternoon I bethink me of the thousands of both sexes that are gathered in the grand Tabernacle," froni all parts of Salt Lake City> and the heroism and devotion of the worshlppors in that magnificent house of worship) will ever be engraven upon the white' page of memory. And if I may be perf mitted in quoting one of your sayings, I will add that 'I can bear testimony' to their uniform attention and politeness to the ' stranger within the gates.' You will perceive, my friend, that I a]mjiJao6l; favourably impressed with the people of your faith, and I shall take greaj; pleasure in refuting charge's ' thai strangers have made against them. 1 J -«— l— — il 111 l I IN I II II I j