Untitled

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 93, 25 September 1863, Page 2

The programme at tho Criterion Theatre continues pretty much the same. The new company seem to give every satisfaction. Miss Stanley pirouettes and longs fbr " The Cottage by the Sea." with constant success. Mr Leeman's powerful bass contrives to be in at the "Death of Nelson" with the usual effectiveness. * Mr L'sckyer is great in a song embodying the cries of London costermongers, dog-stealers, and such like bohemians. Mrs Smith is applauded in songs of the die-away sentimental character. The music is as good as ever, the pianist and violinist being really masters of their instruments. Crowded houses are the feature of every night. We are glad to be able to announce that Mr J. Small has consented to a short engagement at this theatre.' On Saturday (to-morrow) night he will mako his first appearance this season, and favor the public with some of his humorous ditties.

We'b'elieve the celebrated "sentiment" authoress^, "Fanny-Fern," has become an, incurable lunatic^ and accepted an engagement with- ouv contemporaryiu •De&efcreefc. The firstr specimen of what she is -able to do in her -''present deplorable con-,, dition was published in the Soutliland News on Wednesday last. "We reprint it witli.a hope that fche talented authoress may long be capable of writing in the same style. " A litter cluster of the modest violet, whose purple-shaded flowers exhale so delicious a fragrance was presented to our admiring gaze the >other morning, j As a souvenir of 'home,' these < blossoms convey a* pleasant thrill, reminding one of 'days gone By,'? when we sought them with -the primrose and bluebell; and we welcomed their; appearance here -as' the harbingers of. summer. "Wo look upon a tastefor floriculture as One of the most innocent means, of whiling away.tbose Tionrs which sometimes hang heavily, tfie more su os all caiunot, indulge in -the few active exercises which obtain among us." .A. person, in whom, however, not the smallest confidphce can be reposed, has endeavoured to convince us fthafc th* Editor ef tho -News was himself the author of the above delicious sentences. We donot for a moment believe it; but if ifc should be the case, we sincerely congratulate him on having afc length found a method of " whiling away those hours whicli sometimes hang so heavily," &c, &c. ' It is delightful to find that in this materialist age there are still left some ofthe finer emotions of man, of the existence" of which the doubting cynic will bo at once convinced by enquiring: at the Town Board Office, either personally or per letter enclosin g the usual postage stamp. There, the sour misanthropist will find fl«at the noble 'quality of generosity exists in the highest sense of the termHe will find ifc collcctivaly in the Board as a body, and individually in its members. If Diogenes happen to be an attorney and a gentleman, ho will, in. propria persona receive evidence of it. He will be taken by the hand in a spirit of the utmost large-heai-tedncss; he will be figuratively embraced by the whole Board ; ho will be made free of all the wafeis and blue writing paper belonging to the Board's own clerk; he will be enthroned in ' state near the Board's own engineer; and, culmination of generosity! he will, upon simply covenanting to obey the lawful behests of, and tender respectful counsel to, the Board's own Chairman, be presented with the magnificent honorarium of one hundred pounds per annum, payable quarterly, and secured upon one long table, an American stove, two inkstands, an old desk, and one mahogany ruler, all appertaining and belonging to the said Board. After this, who shall say that tho age is paltry, or the Town Board of Invercargill petty -fogging. By the s.s. Edina, we have Melbourne files to tho 17th instant. The Australian news and the letter of our Bluff correspondent are crowded out of to-daj's impression. The latest news from the North tells of forty tons of stores seized by tbe natives, whilst being landed from tbe barque City of Melbourne, lying inside the Waikato Heads. Captain Swift and a detachment of fifty men of the 65th proceeded to Camcrontown to try and effect a recapture, but was shot in the attempt, as were also two of his men. The Forest Rangers have had a brush with the enemy, but not to much purpose. There have been several other lesser engagements. It is said that Mr and Mrs Charles Kean are to give one hundred and twenty performances in the colonies, for which they arc to receive the sum of £8,500.