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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1204, 17 November 1882, Page 2

War Office Waggeries.—“ What Was the difficulty about the Duke of Connaught was the question at the War Office* and the official reply from Head-quarters was, “ I Connaught tell you.” Quite a telephonic side-splitter. The late Charles Matthews used to tell, with great glee, a little story of Charles Lamb, which he vouched for as authentic and believed to be unpublished. A contributor to a contemporary is indebted for it to Mr Henry S. Leigh—the poet of Cockayne —who had it from the lips of his friend, the famous actor, One evening Mary Lamb took a sudden and violent fancy to have some Stilton cheese for supper, an article of which there was not a scrap in the house. It was very wet, and getting rather late ; but Charles, with that self-denial which showed itself in a life-long devotion to his sister, at once volunteered to try whether any could be got. He sallied forth, and reachedjtheir cheesemonger, just as the shutters were being put up. In reply to his demand, he was assured that he could have some ripe Stilton : and the shopkeeper proceeded to cut off a slice. As it lay on the scales, Lamb’s attention was forcibly arrested by the liveliness of the surface of the “fine ripe Stilton.” “Now, Mr Lamb,” said the cheesemonger, “shall I have the pleasure of sending this home for you ?” “No, th-th-thank you,” said Charles, “if you will give me a bit of twine, I cou-cou-could p’rhaps 1-1-lead it home I” George Darrell is in London, and has been doing the rounds of the metropolitan theatres. He says he is unable to employ terms to adequately express his admiration of the mounting of “Romeo and Juliet” at the Lyceum. Irving is a “ scholar, an artist, a gentleman;” and Miss Ellen Terry, a “ sweet sympathetic interpreter of the master.” George then goes on to say: “Will it ever be worth while to risk such a production in Melbourne? I|sincerely hope it may. At the other theatres they are playing for the most part light comedies and sensation dramas, Ono statement let me make. Away from the mounting, dressing, and scenic embellishments,! have seen equally good performances, as a rule, in Australia and New Zealand as in England or America. Naturally they laugh at this remark here and in the States, but the fact remains. It is excessively difficult to break the ice and secure an appearance in London ; but I have been fortunate enough to sign a contract to that effect with Holt and W ilmot. These gentlemen read, and immediately accepted, an Australian drama of mine, and have stipulated to present it in London in the fall of 1883. It will be produced under my supervision, with entirely new scenic and rnecnanical effect, and 200 supers! Meanwhile I visit the Cape and Australia for the presentation of another new drama, and return to England in July of next year.' 1

An extraordinary occurrence, almost rival- ; ling those recorded at Knock two or three i years ago, is reported from Athlone. A large congregation had assembled on Sunday ere- : ning in the Franciscan church, and the Rev. | Father M'Dermott bad just concluded his : sermon, when, according to the evidence of several persons, a brilliant light shone from ’ the roof immediately above the figure of the Blessed Virgin. Following upon this a shower ' of stars descended upon the Virgin’s head, | the eyes opened and rolled from side to side, ! the hands moved, and the figure then assumed ! the attitude of blessing the congregation, after which it resumed its former appearance. Those who saw the alleged wonder rushed to the altar, and a scene of the greatest excitement ensued. The service was brought to a close, but nevertheless the church remained crowded till a late hour. Throughout Monday the thoroughfare outside the building was impassable. It is averred that a respectable woman, who had been lame for years, and who entered the church on Tuesday morning in an invalid chair, left it able to walk without any assistance. The Bacchante, having on board the two sons of the Prince of Wales, arrived at Cowes on Saturday. The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by their three daughters, left Cowes in the Royal yacht Osborne, and proceeded to the westward to meet the Bacchante ; and the meeting between the two young voyagers and their relatives was such as would be expected under the circumstances, the youthful princes having been absent nearly two years. The Bacchante, forming part of the Detached Squadron, left Spithead on September 13th, 1830, for Monte Video, which was reached on the 22n of December. On the Sth of January, 1881. the ships proceeded to the Cape, war with the Boers having broken out. While at Cape Town the princes paid a visit to Cetewayo. On the 9th of April the squadron set sail for Melbourne, and Adelaide, Sydney, and Brisbane were also visited, and the ships left for Fiji. On the 10th of September they proceeded to Yokohma. Various Japanese ports were visited, and afterwards a run was made to Shanghai. The squadron left Hong Kong on the homeward journey on the 31st December. At Cairo the princes paid a farewell visit to the Khedive on the the 22nd of March, and visited Alexandria the same day. The princes after visiting the Holy Land, embarked for Athens, anti their subsequent tour included visits to Candia, the lonian Islands, Palermo, and Gibraltar.

Mr Stanley has arrived In Europe. HU work on the Congo has been most ardtiouii. He has placed Seven steamers on the lower river, fbuhded fotir factories on ground for? mally ceded by native Kings, and constructed roads past the Cataracts. The South Australian Governnient intends to offer a bonus of £lO,OOO for the of the first coalfield. There are married men employed as working clerks on the Victorian railways at thi princely salary of 24s u-week I A long diecusMon arosq in the Melbourne Presbytery lately over the Introduction pi Bible reading in State schools, and an oyer; ture to the General assembly in favour of that course was adopted. Duirng the discussion the Rev. F. R. M. Wilson referred to a recent speech of the Roman Catholic Bishop of j Ballarat, who spoke approvingly of the Canai dian system most suitable to the reduirc* ' monts of Victoria. Mr Wilson endorsed this ; view, and hoped thrlt the recently formed I League for the Introduction of Bible reading I in State schools would adopt some Buell ’ SvSteffi.