TOO AWFULLY AWFUL.

Patea Mail, 28 January 1882, Page 4

TOO AWFULLY AWFUL.

A good and authentic assthetical story reaches “ Givis” of tlio Otago Times from Nelson. Certain young ladies there have adopted a “ super icsthctical’ style of dress, and suddenly donned in “ Sleepy Hollow ” attire of the most unique character, and appeared with wildly flowing locks. Perfectly “ chic ’ from an {esthete point of view, it appeared strange in the extreme to eyes long accustomed to the most quiet of ladylike costumes. One of these young ladies directed her evening walk in the neighborhood of the lunatic asylum, when she was espied by a nervous gentleman, who, after watching her movements for a short time, became convinced that this was an escaped patient. Ho accordingly made some adroit attempts to catch her and lodge her in safety within the walls of the adjacent building. But so strange were his movements that the lady became possessed with the idea that he was an escaped lunatic ! To get out of her unpleasant position the .esthetic young lady prosaically set off to run home as last as her legs could carry her, like any ordinary young person, followed by the excited gentleman in full chase. The final tableau may be imagined, when the limited {esthetic falls exhausted into the arras of a similarly attired sister, and the gentleman discovers, all too late, that he has made a slight mistake. We may conclude that the gentleman hadn't seen and heard “ Patience,” and probably had neglected his Punch , or ho would have known bettor thou to mistake an “ ultra-poetical, supor-mslheticnl, out-of-the-way young” girl for an escaped lunatic. But these are some of the difficulties in the way of the pursuit of “ high art.” Nelson readers will recognise the heroine easily enough.