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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 34, 9 February 1881, Page 2

Says the Sydney Bulletin -.—Talking of political subjects reminds me that although the crude African in his wild state has, generally speaking, the hardest skull in the animal kingdom, there are instances also where the cultured colored gentleman runs his missionary-eating brother mighty close. Aa a sample of this, I once heard that Mr Billy Wilson, the sweet Binger from Georgia, \va^ waiter in a large American hotel, and a bet was made one night between the boxer, Heenan, and a few friends, that Heenan couldn't tKump a dent in William's head with one blow. The lights were then turned doym ; Master William entered, bearing a tray and glasses, and Heenan immediately struck hitn a clout that would shake the Town Hall. The only effect it had on the silvery tenor, however, was to cause him to turn round and observe, in a slightly, injured tone, " Gemmen, please be more car-f ul wid your elbows." Some very remarkable experiements which have taken place lately at the entrance of the) North Harbdr, Peterhead, are described by j tbe Dundee Advertiser as having been attended by very satisfactory results. Bottles filled with oil were sank to the bottom of the: harbor, in which the seas Were breaking heavily. The oil was then released, and rising to the surface it exercised ah immediate and magical effect in smoothing the troubled waters. Instead of the waves breaking, the seal became quite smooth and glassy-looking, anc| there was a Visible softening down of tbe waves, which in place of being sbarp-crested, we^e turned into long undulating seas. The opinion of those who witnessed the experiments was that if by the use of a simple invention of Mi Shielda, of Perth, oilcan be laid on continuously by pipos to the bars of ail exposed harbors, it will be quite possible to smooth down the Btbrmy waves so as to enable vessels to gain port in Safety even amidst the fiercest storms. They were enjoying a bath. "Yon Bbould seejthe bank now," said the president of the first National, Thorntown, Ind. " You should seejthe bank now,; Dick has it fairly filled with beautiful flowers, all fine house plants, and' all, doing-' 'well."' "I shouldn't think," said his friend the chronicler, ".that it would be a very good place for floriculture." "Oh yes!" replied the president, "they do splendidly ; you see there's so much falling due thefe all the time that—." But his auditor mis^edtbe reßtof itj for. a. NantJUcket vc^ab bad* got ' judgment on his and lie was trying tp get ashore before it foreclosed!

At Graftori, last week, a Mr Brown, of Ulmarra, was leading two horses, when he aod one of the horses were Btruck dead by lightning ; all his clothes were torn off, one boot ripped, and (he other coud not be found. During the Bame storm two other horses, when standing near a fence, were instantly killed, and o young man was knocked senseless, but ultimately recovered. A merchant of Berne has been sentenced to imprisonment for three years and a half for a very heartless fraud, perpetrated on a young lady td whom he was engaged to be married. He took her to London to marry her and whilst there he possessed himself of- her fortune of 15,000 francs and all the jewellery she had, and left her at an hotel without a penny. Hotter weather is the story from New South Wales. A Dunong telegram reports the thermometer at 110' in the shade ; seven bullocks belonging to different teams died from the effects of the sun between here and Clarence Town, and others died from the same cause in the paddocks about the town. " Three-card men" have the reputation of being particularly smart, and to '• have" one of the fraternity is considered equal to the impossible task of •' taking the breeks off a Hielanmau." Yet at the Palmerston liaces on Saturday the Wanganui Met aid noticed a guileless ceuntryman work a point which cost the matiiptilatof of cards six notes. The countryman wetted a corner of a bank note> and on looking at the cards managed to press the tiny piece of wet paper on the back of the knave, The mariC W» 3 n ° fc Visible except by looking closely at the backs, and although the trick was seen by all the spectators, the one most interested, the professional, failed to notice it. The consequence was that the countryman managed to spot the knave six times, and won £1 each , time. The crowd round were highly delighted at the Egyptian being spoiled. The run of luck (?) was too much for the pro., and he concluded to retire from the business, a poorer but not a wiser man. Jt is very sad to learn late in life that the hitherto unsuspected primrose is " a corollifloral dicotyledonous exogen, with a roonopetalods carolla and a central placeua.' Professor Huxley is responsible for unearthing this scandalous fact. Trickett writes to Mr F. C. Wentworth in reference to his match with Hanlau^and says that he can and will yet row Han' : aa down. H.e makes a passing reference to the rumour of there being •• something " in Haulan's boat. During the past few years several scions of leading families in Melbourne have taken to themselves barmaids for better or worse — among the number, a well-known young professional man, erstwhile a bright particular star in the cricket field. His wedding created a deep seusation in fashionable circles, A sensational story reaches us from Philadelphia of a regular modern Blue Beard, accused of having disposed of seven successive wives in a most mysterious manner. Some splendid shooting at a. recent American rifle match is reported in the Boston (U.S.) Herald. The rnarksmeu who stand most prominent ate, Messrs Gerrish and Brown, who were members of a team of riflemen defeated by a British team at Wimbledon. The shooting at which the scoring above referred to was made is spoken of as follows:— "A chilly, damp day greeted the riflemen yesterday who participated in the renewed competition at the long range. The wind was south-oast during the shooting, changing but a few points. The light was good and the atmosphere clear. Only three riflemen faced the butts, but the shooting was exceptionally brilliant, and that of Mr William Gerrish unprecedented, this gentleman beating all former records made by any riflemen in the world, haging officially scored 224 out of a possible 225. Mr Browu made a record of 219, and Mr Wilder 211, the average being 218. Subjoined is the scoring : — Grand Yds. total. ( 800—555555555555555—75 / Gerrish I 900— 555556555555555— 75 V 224 1 1000—555555555555545—74 ) f 800—555545555555555—74) Brown \ 900—555445555455555—72^219 1 1000—555554555555555—73 ) f 800—555555455555355—72 Wilder \ 900—545555544455555—71^211 1 1000—444355545555455—68)