MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 36, 27 October 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

How to a Ruin a Son.— 1. Let him have his own way. 2. Allow him free use of money. 3. Suffer him to rove whore he pleases on the Sab bath. 4. Give him full access to his wicked companions. 5. Call him to no account for his evenings. 6. Furnish him with no stated employment. Pursue either of these ways, and you will experience a most marvellous deliverance, or will have to mourn over a debased and ruined child. Thousands have realized the sad result, and have gone mourning to the grave.

A remarkable instance of rewarded perseverance is related in the Italian paper " L'Opinione," of some workmen in Paris, Fourteen journeymen pianoforte makers, without capital, applied for a loan, in order to set up a co-operative society. It was refused them; and that made their fortune. They rented a store in one of the most obscure streets in Paris, and transformed it into an office. They used in common the tools which they possessed, and also their scant earnings. Those who had neither tools nor savings sold their furniture and even their linen. Thus they collected together the sum of 230 francs, about 1/9 12s. They worked without a fire, in spite of the cold, abstained from wine, and with their families lived on black bread. The result of their privations was the increase of the above-mentioned sum to L4O. Then they set to work, and by the aid of a timber merchant obtained their materials on credit. They labored for two months .without touching a farthing of salary. At length they finished their first piano, sold it, paid all the debts, and had ss. sd. over. They began another piano, soJd it in advance for about Ll9 payable in food, and persevered in their bold undertaking for some time until they each were enabled to receive 4s. 2d. a week in wages. But the sixth month the salary rose to Bs. 4d. a week, and then to 10s., and 16s. 3d. At the end of a year or two their numbers had increased to 32, with a stock worth LI6OO, and an office, for the rent of which they paid LBO a year. Two years later they divided into two societies, one of which still exists, and is one of ihe first manufactories in ParK

Abe's Choice.—A gentleman in'conversation remarked to President Lincoln that nothing could defeat him but Grant's capture of Richmond, to be followed by his nomination at Chicago and acceptance. " Well," said the President, " I feel very much like the man who said he did'nt want to die particularly, but if he had got to die, that was precisely the disease he would like to die of." —New York Standard.

Chinese Literature is making way in Germany. Here is a pleasant name of a handbook for the use of students just published at Frankfort—" Hautsewenfachoukouaugtsongmon ; Bibliotheca Sinologica, als Wegweiser zur Sinologischen Literatur."—Reader.

Debt.—The greatest curse of this land is not, as some imagine, 'Jrink, but debt. There are many persons in a position to declare that among all their acquaintances they do not know one drunkard. I believe, however, there is not one who does not know several persons who are in debt, and who suffer great misery in consequence. In whatever rank of society you move, from the very highest down to the very lowest, you cannot live long without becoming acquainted with men and women who are a trouble to themselves and to their friends through owing money. So completely does insolvency pervade society, that those who are not in debt are almost as much victims to the consequence as those who are. What does it avail mc that I pay on the nail for everything, and owe no man anything, when I have relatives, and friends, and acquaintances who are in debt to everyone with whom they deal. They come and carry off the money I have saved by my prudence and economy : they come and vex my heart with distresses, which in my own case I have taken infinite pains to avoid. They make their debts my debts, and their troubles my troubles. I might almost as well have iucprred debt and trouble for myself.—All the Year Round.

A teetotaller asked Pat the other day if he ever saw a teetotaller drunk. " Och," replied Paddy with great earnestness, "I've seen many a man drunk, but I could'nt tell whether he was a teetotaller or not."

Popular Definitions.—What is fashion? Dinners at midnight and headaches in the morning. What is wit ? That peculiar kind of talk that leads to pulling of noses and broken heads. What ib joy ? To count your money and find it a hundred pounds more than you expect. What is knowledge ? To be away from home when people come to borrow books and umbrellas. AVhat is contentment ? To sit e> in the house and see others stuck in the mud.

A newly-fledged parent, who has undoubtedly been too curiously impertinent in domestic matters, asks—" Can putting a clean shirt on a baby be properly called shifting the responsibility?"

Among the last of Behnes's works were the busts of the late Lord Elgin and Lord Palmerston, the former in the possession of Lady Elgin, but the latter was never completed It was kept so long in hand that Lord Palmerston declined continuing the sittings. This was at the time that the sculptor was busied with his two Haveiock statues—the one for Trafalgar square, the other for Sunderland. It was on the occasion of, perhaps, the last sitting that Behnes opened the conversation with—" Any news, my Lord, from France ? How do we stand with Louis Napoleon ?" Lord Pahiierston raised his eyebrows for an instant, looked surprised, and quietly answered—" Really, Mr Behnes, I don't know; I have not seen the newspapers."—Cornhill Magazine.

Punch says—" Women aro said to have stronger attachments than men. It is not so. A man is often attached to an old hat; but did you ever know of a woman having an attachment for an old bonnet V Echo answers " never."

A thirsty man is a dry person, but a Jack towel is a dryer A pretty girl is generally coy, but in most cathedrals you will find a choir. A rump &teak is good but a man who lays a wager is a better. A showery day is a damp, but the refusal of a young lacty ia a damper.

" I never complained of my condition," said Sadi, a Persian poet, " but once when my feet were bare, and I had not money to buy shoes ; but shortly afterwards I met a man without any feet, and became contented with my lot." A sexton waj lately a&ked how trade was with him. He replied that it was "Vairabad—nowt doin' haidly." "Well, how's that," asked the other. " Well thee sees," answered the sexton, "poverty seldom dies. There's far more kilt wi' o'er-hettin' an' o'er-drinkin' nor there is wi' bein pinched "

A professor, in order to make up an audience for his lecture, was obliged to request his friends to be present. Happening to ask one of them who had been absent, the reason of his stay, he told him that he was afraid of breaking in upon his 6olitude.

Henry IV. having bestowed the cordon bleu on a gentleman, at the solicitation of the Due de Nevers, when the collar was put on, the gentleman made the customary speech : " Sire, I am not worthy." " I know it well," said the king. A Neglected Boy—" Father," said a little fellow, afber having apparently reflected inteutly on something, " I shan't send you m,y of my wedding-cake when I get mairied."—" why not, my son V was the fond father's inquiry—" Because," answered the young hopeful, " you didn't send mc any of yours J"