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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 241, 2 December 1880, Page 2

A gentleman at a recent interview with Te Whiti, at Paribaka, suggested to the Maori prophet the advisability of having bis speeches printed and circulated throughout the Colony, 80 that everyone might have the opportunity of learning bis sentiments. One might think this child of nature would have been delighted with the idea, but h« was too wily to rise to the bait, and bis reply was characteristic of the man. " Those that wank to learn my sentiments can come here on the 18th of the month, I never commit myself in writing I '' Te Whiti is wiaer in his generation than the majority of white men. ; A certain mechanic in one of the upcountry districts recently took it into bis head that he was intended by nature for a farmer. He purchased some land and proceeded to stock it. One of the cowi which he procured soon manifested symptoms which were strange to this would-be feeder of beasts. Visions of pleuro pneumonia passed through bis mind, and rather than lose his herd he determined on extreme measures. . Bushing into the house he got hia gun and deliberately shot the heast. His digust may be imagined, when in its death throes the cow brought forth a fine calf. \ A well-known Sergeant was prosecuting in a certain case. Every now and again the; judge addressed him in the usual manner as " Brother." . The case was a strong one; but; the- jury, to the surprise of alj, found a verdict of " Not Guilty." One of the jury! subsequently explained the wbole matter.: Ho said that he considered the whole thing was a scandal. " There was the judge tell-; ing us to find a verdict of guilty because his brother was on that aide; and as we could; plainly see that it was a regular put up! family affair, we determined to find the man' not guilty and we did." ' ■. One Sunday night we were Bitting out in j the moonlight, unusually silent, almost sad. Suddenly some one — a poetic-looking man' with a gentle, lovely face — said in a low tone : " Did yon ever think of the beautiful lesson the stars teach us ?" We gave a ' vague, appreciative murmur, but some soul- 1 less clod said :"No ; what is it ?" « How I to wink," he answered, with a sad, sweet i voice. A very striking instance of the danger of conveying nourishment to the mouth with the blade of a knife has just occurred on the continent. When the last mail left, a decision was about to be pronounced by the Imperial Royal Tribunal at Marburg upon nn action brought by an Italian commercial traveller against the Sudbabn Company, to obtain compensation for injuries sustained by him through a railway accident which recently happened upon the line. The plaintiff, we ar« informed by an English paper, at the very moment in which the collision took place, waa introducing a junk of Bologna sausage into bis mouth on the point of a penknife, and the shock imparted to him by the accident caused him to widen that feature by an involuntary slit some two inches in length. For the pain and disfigurement thus incurred he claims a large pecuniary indemnity. The railway company, however, refuse to admit any obligation to compensate a person for injuries incurred by his own indecorousness of conduct and evil manners, pleading that " no decent person eats with his or her knife, and that the plaintiff having hurt himself in the very act of committing a sociul delic, must bear the consequence of his offence " Tennyson attained his seventy-first birthday on August sth. A few of the intimate friends the laureate allows himself including Browning; Matthew Arnold, and James R," Lowell, called on him at his London, resi dence in King-street, Mayfair. Browning recited a congratulatory ode. An incident of the day was the receipt of a telegram from Victor Hugo, consisting of thirty words divided into four epigrams, the substance, of which was that great poet's live for ever; that Tennyson was the next greatest poet to iHtigo, and that Tennyson, therefore, was jbpoked through to immortality,

: A member of the ring loss £10,000 over Grand Flaneur's victory in the Melbourne Cup. A Chinese gardener in Queensland drew a £1000 prize in one of the sweeps on the Melbourne Cup. . Tommy Hales* commission for wianing three races on Grand Flaneur amounted to £530, in addition to which be received £170 extra from Mr Long, and won a bet of £100 on Grand Flaneur for the Derby. ByMata's win in the V.R.C. Handicap, the New Zealanders at Flemington all made money, and it is stated that a Dunedin bookmaker " potted " £1000 on the event. How many ft males find a means of gaining a livelihood by selling button-hole flowers in the streets of London may be inferred from the fact that a few days since 2,000 flower girls were takeu down to Southend by special train, so that they might enjoy a holiday in the com.try. A writer in the Town and Country Journal Bays : — Two hundred and four sheep were shorn in a day at Mr John Condell's station, Ingalla, New England, in 1870 or 1871 $ and the same man shore 22 1 sheep in the same shed in 1872 ; and a man, I think, named Maunde, shore 207 sheep in 1873 at Myall, Greek station, Bingera. Another correspondent states:*- A. man named John Rogers, in the year 1860, shore 222 sheep at Marsh's station, New England, 47 of which were four year old wetherS. A novel condition was attached to the class " butter," ,at a late agricultural show in Victoria. All the exhibits had afterwards to be given to the hospital i As one of the exhibitors aptly remarked: "Why pounce upon butter only ? Why not confiscate all the cafcde, horses, and other exhibits ?" Says the Dunedin Star :— The art of dressing in the commonest materials, and yet looking superior to other women, is being studied by fashionable Parisiennes. Fourteen ladies recently entered into competition, and the prtee was a awarded to a dress made of that coarse sacking used for packing purposes, trimmed somewhat incongruously with Valenciennes lace and floral embroidery on a gold ground, parasol and sleeves to match. The experiment, however, was decidedly expensive, for though the dress , itself cost a mere nothing:, the lace was worth £60, the handle of the paraio'. cost £24, and the embroidery £"31. Punch's comments on coercing Turkey are the best that have yet appeared on the situation The combined fleet of ironclads is represented in the guise of geese, each with a great gun comically doing duty for a beak. The fleet is making a demonstration against the shore, after the fashion of -geese, swimming independently. On the shore is a swelling Turkey-cock with a hooked hose, a fez, and a long pipe, who, out of his immovability, softly warbles " Goosey, goosey, gander, whither do you wander ? " A few days ago a Chinaman charged with petty larceny attempted suicide in the cells. He wound bis pigtail round bis neck and fastened the end in the ventilator of the door, but the police frustrated bis intention, and sent him to the hospital, not much injured. : Some people make money with an ease that is surprising. Sir Samuel Wilson, the Victorian squatter, bought a certain station five years ago for £100,000, and recently sold it for £400,000, which is to be paid in too yearly instalments of £40,000. According to General Pleasanton horses are much like men. There are men (he lately said) who, without being cowards, have not the nerve to go into battle. Everybody who has been in battle will tell you that. It is so with some horses. I have seen horses that would go through anything to get away from a battle field. They would commit suicide by jumping down a precipice or before a locomotive. If anyone of , a practical turn of mind desires to test this, and at the same time learn the effect of advertising on business, let him advertise in two lines, in the most obscure part of some newspaper, that he wants to buy a dog. If be does not want the visitation this will bring him, lee him insert another line in the midst of a batch of advertisements that he will no longer pay his wife's bills, and "then go among his acquaintances and observe if there is anything peculiar in tbeir manner that would seem to imply that they bad read the notice. — Taranaki Herald. A New York publication called the American Correspondent reiterates a statement to . the effect that 5000 anti-English pamphlets had been printed in New York in the Hindoo language, for circulation amongst the native races of Hindostan. The ten pages of the pamphlet are said to be full of one idea — viz , that the Hindoos ought to be ashamed of themselves when they aee the Afghan soldiers rebelling against their leaders who have submitted to England. An urgent appeal is made to the Hindoo regiments to imitate the conduct of Nana Sahib's sepoys, and they are told they could easily annihilate their British masters, as the latter would receive no aid from Englaad, which has all that she can attend to in regard to Irish; affairs. . : The Wairarapa Standard drops a hint that; the recently advene tone of public opinion at Home, on the subject of New Zealand finance, was due to other causes than Major Atkinson's alarmist speeches, Our contemporary says : — " In a private letter from a valued and well informed correspondent the following item of public intelligence Is contained. ' Some one has telegraphed' Home that the colony is going in for Repudiation, and I have got a bint that a big ' bearing ' spec has been done on 'Changs. I have a suspicion — mind only a luspiokm — that .Reuter was made use of.' " The San Francisco correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes: — For one entire month there has not been a vestige of a blaze in the city, but last Sunday, as the world was basking in the rare and glorious sunlight which came pouring down from the blue ether in which no speck of white was visible, the tocsin rang out, and presently every bell in the city rang out in chorus. The fire was in a hay yard on the city front close to the water, but as the light particles of inflammable matter were borne on the air, they lit up at intervals other hay yards and timber yards, until one vast flame enveloped the wharf, running entirely along it. The Bight was a magnificent) one, at the cost of 75,000 dollars, few places being insured. The blaze lasted from 9 o'clock to 3 p.m., but no lives were lost. As the flame and smoke curled defiantly upward, the vessels left their moorings and went out into the stream. Intense excitement prevailed, the whole population viewing the scene from different points of the city, and thousands of pleasure seekers turned their steps hitherward, while whole families rose up from their quiet Sunday dinner, to ruth down to the I conflagration.. It was the loveliest day of the season, and the Golden Gate Park received within its enclesures 10,000 people, who did not seek the city again till midnight. ' Probably many of our readers have been mystified by the queer name bestowed upon the Union Company's latest acquisition. "Boojum," it may be explained, is the name of a suppositions animal in Lewis Carroll's nonierise rhymes, "The Hunting 1 of the Snark." No very detailed particulars of the terrible' creature, are given in that amusing book, but the party are solemnly warned that if she snart they are in pursuit of turns out to be a " boojum," they' will i( softly and suddenly vanish, away," and this fate did befall one of the adventurous hunters. However (remarks a Wellington contemporary), there is every reasoa to believe that the Union, Company's "Boojum" is a well behaved and beneficent little creature, not given i to playing such unhallowed pranks as these. I A religious lunatic named Issajeff, reaiI dent in St. Petersburg, recently predicted that the day of judgment was to take place on the 15th inst., and showed his faith in his own prediction by selling his property — he was a prosperous manufacturer— and giving the money to the poor. His example was strictly followed by his disciples, who, in accordance with his special instructions, stripped to tbeir shirts early on the. morning of the 15 th, and in that uncommonly light marching order waited patiently all day long for the sounding of the - last trump. As nothing of the sort came to pass, Issa Jeff's impoverished flock haß renounced -its. belief in that prophet's predictions, all; but nine unchangeably faithful sheep, who still regard him as divinely inspired, and to whom he continues to foretell future events as freely '^5 ever, ' ■

Green flax is now largely exported from Wellington to Melbourne, for purposes in connection with the manufacture of paper. It is stated that a new pattern of 'striped stockings is on the market. We always thought that striped stocking were on— but we can't say any more. Ladies are like watches-— pretty enough, to look at ; sweet faces and delicate bands ; but somewhat difficult to " regulate " after they are set a-going. A newly-married man has discovered that the difference between an umbrella and a woman is that you can sometimes shut the umbrella up. " Aurelia, dear, when we were married we were made one, and I thought I should be that one; but a man can't always tell what may happen." The Chinese ambassadress in London, who enjoys the " courtesy title " of Marchioness, appears to be all the rage in court and fashionable circles, and " does the honours " in a most graceful and intelligent manner. There are new Chinese slippers, Chinese robes, &c, and the hair is dressed a la " Marchioness." Rustic sportsmen in some parts of Sweden have a popular superstition with regard to shooting. They will go to a distance of twenty or thirty miles to find out a spring running northward. When found, they let the water run through the gun barrel, while they repeat, as a charm, " Shoot west, shoot east, shoot south, shoot north." Guns thus charmed are, they imagine, sure, to kill. It is learned from the Philadelphia Chronicle that ;Edison is inventing a lemonade without either sugar or lemons for the con. venience of circuses and Sunday school picnics. Severe thunder and hail stormß have lately visited Germany, Austria, and Italy. At Schalkehrnehren, on the 31st ult., the lightening killed log sheep, the shepherd becoming deaf through the shock. When an Indian doctor has lost five patients, the survivors of the tribe send him after them to see what had become of them. After all, the Indiana would lose some advantages by civilasation. When the 4lst (Welsh 1 ) Regiment left Chatham for Afghanistan the other day, at their head their marched a conspicuous object, in thtt shape of the handsome white goat, which was brought from Adea on the regiment returning to England. The garter is the one distinction so much coveted by the English nobility tbat Lords Beaconsfleld and Salisbury, on returning from Berlin two years ago bringing " peace with honor," preferred the two vacant garters to the dukedoms which were freely within their grasp. "Is your programme full, Miss Beetlecrusher ?" asked a young man of a Western damsel who had just struggled out of the refreshment room with disappointment in her eye and an "order of dances" in her band. " Programme full ?"said the daughter of the Setting Sun, " Waal, I guess not' ! I haint had nothing but a piece of cake and an ice cream, an' that don't go far towards .filling my programme, 1 can tell you," Tasmania with her imall population is one of the most prosperous colonies in the Australian group. Her population numbers 112,000 ; last year her imports only represented £126,000, while her exports amounted to £1,300,300. Frank Fudge, in the Saturday Advertiser, diacourseth as follows:— If you were aware of the number of candidates who made applioation for the billet of Jack Ketch the other day it would surprise you, my boy. One of the rejected ones, an innocent-looking young man of about twenty-three summers with a few hirsute sprouts of a vermilion hue straggling for existence on bis. chin dropped into my sanctum on the day after Ah Le«'a execution, and began to pour out his complaint into my sympathetic ear. He informed me that he had sent in a tender, offering to "do the job," as he termed it, for the very reasonable sum of £6, but the Sheriff had actually rejected his tender and paid another man £10 for the. delicate task. He appealed to my sense of justice as to the fairness of such an unbusinesslike procedure, and produced a note which he had received from the Governor . of the Gaol, relative to "the job." But the reason he assigned for the rejection of his moderate offer was most amusing> He stated that the Sheriff, who is a prominent member, of one' of our leading churches happened to see him at worship on several occasions, and this fact had induced that functionary to prevent him from turning over an honest , penny. I pointed out to him the evils which sometimes follow the practice of church-going, and gave his own case as an illustration of how a young man's most ambitious hopes may be blighted by attending church. The high honor of sending Ah Lee's spirit into the realms of eternal joy had been denied him through his church-going proclivities. He promised to lead a new life in future, and asked me to put in a word for him whenever another " little job " turned up. Some of my readers may imagine that I am drawing the long bow in tbi« narration, but I can assure them that s«ch is not the case, as there were several press men present when the interesting interview in question took place." A correspondent of the Pioneer, who went out from Kandahar to meet the remnants of the force beaten by Ayub Khan, thus describes what he saw:—" All this time by ones, and twos, and fives, the straggling line of fugitives was passing by— a fearful sight to see. A ten mile march, a five hour fight, a forty-mile retreat, all in a breath as it were. Scarcely a drop of water, not a mouthful of food, fired at from every wall and village as they passed. Parched, starving, and all but dead-beat— some on foot, some on camels, some on ponies, with a hunted look tbat will haunt me for ever, they struggled on hardly realising that we were friends ; only intent to get home. Arrived at a small hill near the Surteep's house we halted, and here our men first got water.. We could soon make out, amongst the.mist, under the trees near the river in front, chat a body of men halted, but whether friend or foe we could not tell. General Brooke sent on Lieutenant Anderson and 15 troopers to ascertain, and soon we had the satisfaction of seeing General Burrows and what remained to him of his little army, An awful sight ! The guns covered with men so wounded that it seemed impossible foremen in. their condition to be alive; and 'yet—jolted on gun limbers, on ponies and in camel kajawahs— they had managed to do some 40 miles, mostly desert, since the previous evening. The wounded were placed in dboolies and dandies, and after a brief rest they started again. We remained as rear guard. Lieutenant Rodick ' and 90 men of the 7th Fusiliers being sent to explore the large house of the Sarteep, in case of any being detained as prisoners. After waiting some little time for Lieutenant Anderson, who was very nearly cut off and had to fight his way back, we retired leisurely, stopping now and then to administer a little punishment.. When about two miles from Abasabad, Colonel St. John sent back a note to the General to say that the ; enemy were in force there, that General ! Burrows' men were too exhausted to clear the way, and asking us to come vp and do so. > Tkey accordingly halted, and General Brooke sent on the guns and cavalry at a trot, the infantry following as fast as possible. The way was soon cleared. Captain Law made two splendid shots at a gungah (stone defence) on the side of the hill above Chilzina, ; sending two shells completely through ; but after the last, a man jumped on to the parapet, waved his turban, and fired a shot, the bullet falling close to the guns. Arrived in cantonments about 2.30 p.m. We found Captain Adderly and one company of the 7th Fusiliers, holding the Engineers' garden. He was sent back to cover the retreat, and had 'the satisfaction of killing several armed men iu the village of Abasabad before he returned. Captain Conolly, with another Company of the 7th, was holding the 4th Rifle Lines, which, however, had been looted earlier in the day. Sending all the wounded and tired to the citadel, we helped the remainder of our brigade to pack and be off, and at 6.30 p.m. all started for Kandahar. General Brooke was very loth to leav*e, but he said that nothing more could be done; the men (ours) had been at work incessantly since 3 a.m. ; there was not a drop of water except what the bheesties (water carries) carried ; the city was a seething mass" of rebellion and danger, the gates had to be def<mde<J and walls manned tbat night,

Says a writer in the Australasian;— ««lf • you can't grow wheat at 2s 6d per bushel and lire, you willleither have to gire lip wheat growing or die." i : " Your future husband seems very exact* ing: he has been stipulating for all sorts/of things," said a mother to her daughter, Who was on the point.of being married. " Nerer mind, mamma," said the affectionate girl, who was already dressed for the wedding, " these are his last wishes." A correspondent of a Southland paper states that since the present rabbiting party have had possession of the Upper Mararoa — some four months or so — they have sold and delivered 44,000 skins— this only from one party. The actual total of skins collected from these two runs daring this time could j be multiplied by ten and then be below the actual quantities. It has been officially calculated that 671 women and girls gain their livelihood in Paris as models to painters, sculptors, and photographers; of this number 230 are Italians, 120 French, 80 Germans, 60 Swiss, 50 Spanish, 49 Belgians, 45 English, 30 Americans, 4 Austrians, 2 Portugese, and 1 Irish; 130 are somewhat more thaa of age, the ages of the remainder vary from 1 6 to 20. Amongst the 571, 60 are avowedly actresses, 40 milliners, 35 artificial flower girls, and 30 sempstresses; all the rest are without any special calling.