NOTES AND ECHOES.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 999, 19 February 1883, Page 3

NOTES AND ECHOES.

Ileigho ! Mr Editor, surely the times are out, of joint with ns all The funereal wocfnlncss of Pa tea at the present is beyond conception. Let us hope it is that quietude which precedes an earthquake. A good shaking up could not but be beneficial to the place. Business at stagnation, and work at a discount. But. w--.it !—there is not altogether a-dearth of employment. In one class there is an abnormal plentconsncss. Bailiffs arc at a premium ;in fact a sufficient number of men cannot bo got to take possession. It is not an occupation that is sought after, not that it requires hard work, that being no desideratum in the business, as a bailiff can stint abonfwith his hands in his pocket and still b- au fait so long as he is there, ' But it is not considered genteel, and there’s the rub. However, bailiffs have good f!m°s of it sometimes. [ know one who was put in possession of a hotel. Ho obeyed the first law .of nature, and looked after himself. Yes, first of all he secured the best bedroom in the house, containing fireplace and double bed, then he gave strict injunctions to the cook regarding the nature and serving up of his victuals. For a full mouth he showed everybody that he considered himself proprietor of the house, and finally, when new proprietors came in, he so soft-soaped and bowkneed to them as to fix himself , np/for free board until they got tired of him. Hans Breittnan had a barly. Where is dafc baity now ?

Far be it from mo to dwell on the misfortunes of others, and I do not intend to do so. Hans Brcit man’s “ barly ” has merely suggested to me the singular fate of another party in Patea. The individual remnants of a once prominent section of our community afford a sad theme for reflection. I am somewhat sceptical about the healing powers of Mr Milner Stephen, nqt an unbeliever in his being able to impart physical magnetism to his patients, but having doubts of {usability to perform many of the cures ho professes. The most candid of his patients I have hoard of is the lady who certifies to the relief she experiences on gazing at his photograph. There is a charming sincerity about this which carries conviction with it. Photographs have been known to have that magical effect on others; but then they prefer not to publish their platonic feelings to the world. Whether Mrs Milner Stephen approves of ladies writing letters to her husband intimating the sensations produced by looking- at bis photo is another matter.

She was a straight-backed yonng‘lady, with a dainty step in-her walk, and that interesting twinkle in her eyes which denotes the power to captivate. She was indulging in a little romancing, not uncommon to ladies of a certain age, and had promised to meet her George on the bridge, but through spending too much time at the looking glass, also not an uncommon circumstance with young ladies, she made herself late for the appointment. Nearing the bridge, however, she saw a figure which bore a striking resemblance to that of George and proceeding stealthily up to him implanted an affectionate kiss on his right cheek, remarking, “ I hope you arc not cross, George dear, for my being late.” The young man, after recovering from his surprise, said he was not cross with her, but the novelty of the introduction had given him a shock. That young lady has a second look now before taking her George by surprise. • The fashion of distributing Valentines wears well, and appears to become more popular every year. It is a strange passion and may be looked upon as symbolical of our two strongest feelings, love and hate. The sentimentalist sends his or her love an artistic token, probably bearing a couplet which echoes bis wishes, and the hater sends his bate noir a coarse caricature also containing a few lines of doggerel!, but by no means complimentary. One of these ferocious productions, representing a policeman with bis sfaff chasing a dog, was sent by a “ friend ” to one of the “ foorco ” in Pa tea the other’day, and pinned up in the Court-house. The alacrity with which it was removed on His Worship taking his sent was a pleasure to behold. Tony. :