GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 29, 20 April 1878, Page 2

GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Tho distinction conferred upon Princo Charles of Uouraonia, tho Czorcwilch, and tho Grand Duko Vladimir, on the pari of tli» Qornmn Emperor, by tho gift of tho Iron Cross, provokes niucli comment in Germany, The Iron Cross was instituted by tlio Emperor's fntlier as a decoration for valor displayed in the German war of liberation iii defence of tho Fatherland, It was renewed in INTO with the sonic specific meaning, and it* employment in tho presont instance is scarcely consistent wjth the principles upon which it was avowedly founded. Gorman papers quote a laying addressed hy Goethe to Chancellor Hullor mi Novombor is, IX2I, with reference to the Eastern Question, The groat author is reported to have said: •• It is quite Impossible to turn the Turks out of Europe, since tboro is no Christian Rawer which m'ght be permitted to hold Constantinople union it makes itself mistress of the world. Hut it is possible to pare down and curtail the power of Turkey in Europe, jusl n. much a. iii power ..r ii„. Greek Etupetoi i was emlailnl jn the la. t t.vo rHiluiir>.."

Tim best society and conversation in the world is llial in whlob I he heart ha-. a greater ftlmie than the head.

On Saturday night, a few minute-, before the great fire scene at the Theatre Koyal, there was a real tire eeene in Ki:i„'-t-treet. The fire bells were run;,', and some imprudent individual in the jiit of the Theatre called out " Fire." As might be expected, there was a good deal of commotion amongst the audience, and something like a panic was nearly taking hold of some of them. It was soon apparent, however, that the alarm was groundless. As a punishment for his imprudence, one of the ticket taken went up to the person who gave the alarm, and struck him a blow with his tist that broke the man's nose. The injured organ was repaired and dressed at the Sydney Infirmary.—" Town and Country Journal," March 9.

The Now York " Sun " has hunted up n list of tho interesting occurrences of the old year. It witnessed the proclamation of Queen Victoria as Empress of India; the fiaming-up of the longdreaded conflagration of Eastern Europe, not yet extinguished for all the blood that has been poured upon it ; the passage of the Danube, the lighting in Bulgaria and Asia Minor, the fall of Kars, and the capture of Osman Pasha and his army at. Plevna ; the conspiracy of Macltahon and his advisers against Republican France, and its crushing defeat; the death of Victor Emmanuel, ttnd the death of Pope Pius'lX. It saw the great tire in St. John. It saw in America the inauguration of a President by fraud, as some of the papers will have it. All in all, 1877 was an eventful year, and made work for the historians of the future.

The "Hodgkinson Mining News" reports that Mr. Harman, on his way to Thornborough, stayed at Smithfield one night last week, and placed a mob of horses which he was bringing with him ina "paddock" on the Barron river, a short distance, from the township. During the night an alligator made a fierce atfack on a saddle-horse, as in the morning the poor brute was found with the inside of it-s thigh frightfully lacerated, evidently by the sauriau's claws and a large piece of flesh, as big as an ordinary sized hat, torn away. The wounds on the inside of the horse's thigh resembled the scoring of a carcase by a butcher's knife, so deep did the alligator's claw sink into the flesh. The animal died soon after. It is conjectured that the horse was drinking when the attack was made, and from lb. ■ severity of the wounds it is thought that the saurian must have been a large one.

Croat consternation (writes a correspondent from Hay, N. S. \V.) was occasioned here shortly after noon on Tuesday last, by a cruel and unpardonable hoax, perpetrated by Mr. R. J. Mills of the Club-house. 'Mr. Mills, it appears, went into the river for a bathe, his wife standing on the bank at the time watching him s»vim. In a few minutes he came out, and taking a header from the shore, went down, and did not appear on the surface again. His wife, who was in a frightful state of alarm, screamed repeatedly for assistance, bringing all the residents within hailing distance to the river. Every exertion was made to recover the body, but without success. All day the police were engaged in dragging the river, and some professional divers lent their assistance. Then the steamer Resolute passed to and fro over the spot where the unfortunate man was last seen, with the hope of stirring up the body, but it was all of no avail, and at last the search was mournfully abandoned. Late on the following night, however, to the astonishment of everyone, the " drowned man " turned up alive and well, and was soundly abused for his practical joke. It is supposed that when he dived he swam along the hank under water, and came up out of the sight of his wife, but it is only fair to give his own version of the rase. He stales that he became insensible whilst under the water, when he found himself hidden in the rushes. The two divers narrowly escaped losing their lives in their exertions to recover the supposed bodv.

Our Melbourno friends (says the " Town and Country Journal" of March 2) are fond of telling us that we are sluggish, and we are bound to admit the impeachment, In some cases, however, our slowness is an advantage, for we are not ready fo accept every cock-and-bull story that is put into circulation. The active-minded Victorians havo been especially fertile in inventing war rumors, and the latest story is that two Russian spies have taken a shop at Melbourne, and every morning go out in a boat to make soundings in the Bay. These gentlemen never return with any fish, so it is assumed that they have some bad purpose. Perhaps, if their shop were examined, it would bo found that they have undermined half Melbourno, and have stored away tons of dynamite, ready to be fired on the flint outbreak of war between England and Russia. Possibly, also, these gentlemen may turn out to be harmless individuals, whose success in fishing does not equal their fondness for the sport. It is usually the most inoffensive persons who are suspected as being spies. Innocent artists taking n sketch of a picturesque tower arc pounced upon as traitors drawing a plan of trio fortifications. Absentinindcd geologists staring at the formation of tiro ground, and taking the angles of stratification, are considered most dangerous typographical spies, and now apparently fishermen ai-o tn bo included in tho suspicious category, »>spccinlly if tlioy aro unsuccessful. Might we not suggest to kind Melbourne : eoplt that, as anybody can procure (lie •oondlogl of tine bay from uuthoritivc

quarters, it would Narcaly 1..- rmrnmiji tur the Russians (0 make us.' of tie- two spi.-s who could oof obtain any results of importance in many months. The ironclads in the Mediterranean Which will bear the Brat brunt of any collision with Russia consist of:—The Alexandra, 12 guns. Captain K. 0. K. Fitzroy (flagship ol Viee-Admiral Phipps Hornby. eoinmaniler-in-iiii,.f ; tie- Agincourt, 11; the Rupert, 4, armor-plated ram ; the Swiftsure, 14, the Hotspur, :>, armor-plated ram ; the Achilles, I': . the Pallas, 8; the Raleigh, 22; the De\ tion, 4, double-turret ship; the Sultan, 12, commanded by 11.R.11. T.i . Edinburgh; and ere this the Temerain 8, will have joined the fleet. There are also a number of un-armourcd vessels with the commander-in-chief, the most important of which are:—The Ruby, 12; the Rapid,:!; the Torch, 5 ; the Research, 4, armor-plated; the Condor, ,'1; the Flamingo, :!; and the Salamis, 2, despatch vessel. The ironclads Invincible 14 (which has lately been thoroughly repaired, at a cost of upwards of £50,000), and the Northampton, 12, aro also ordered to join Admiral Hornby. It is very satisraetory to know that the combined fleets of Russia, Germany, and Italy would be no match for tho British fleet in the Mediterranean, which in the event of war, could bo easily doubled in point of numbers ami strength without affecting other squadrons or the defences along the English coasts. The number of seamen in the fleet is about 5000 men.

Russian newspapers affirm a miracle to have occurred at Moscow, which is supposed to have some connection with the "Holy War," and which is compared to the appearance of Saint Sergius in the study of the late Czar Nicholas in the Crimea war. Saint Sergius was then reported to have presented a small wooden cross to the Imperial crusader. There is a pond just outside Moscow, which is at this season frozen over. About a week ago, or a little longer, one morning the ice was found cracked or broken in a particular place, leaving a gap in the shape of a St. Andrew's cross. The orthodox Muscovites have proclaimed this a sign from Heaven, and hundreds and thousands crowd to see it daily, rich poople in private carriages its well as poor and simple folk.

The largest vessel afloat, the Great Eastern excepted, is now lying in the Alfred Hock, at Birkenhead. The Hooper, the property of the Hooper Telegraph Company, of London, was built at N'ewcastle-on-Tyne in 1N73, is an iron steamer,, between 300 feet and 370 feet lon-, is CO feet across, and has a depth of hold of about 40 feet. She was principally constructed ,sor purposes of cable laying, and between the' year in which slie left the stocks and 1876 she successfully deposited eight submarine telegraph lines upon the sea bottom, between Cuba and Santiago, Santa Cruz and Port Kieo, Demerara and Para, and various other points. Built from a model designed to unite great spaciousness with seagoing capacity, the Hooper is flatbottomed, and has large iron storage cylinders of great depth and width ; while it is claimed for her that sue exceeds the Great Eastern in carrying capacitysaud is able " to go down to the sea" with a dead weight of cargo of something like 12,000 toils. Since LS7li the Hooper has been principally engaged in the India trade. Her last voyage was from Mew York, whence she ran to Liverpool in fifteen days with a cargo of about 7,800 tons, including 50,000 bushels of maize and 05,000 bushels of wheat, as well as large quantities of cotton and Hour. On her arrival in the Mersey it was found impossible, on account of her size, to dock the Hooper on the Liverpool side. She was therefore taken to Birkenhead, and will only enter a Liverpool dock after she has been considerably lightened by unloading.

An action has been raiser) in the Court of Session by an Edinburgh lady named Nellie Baptie, against James Bowden Ross, gold mine proprietor, Rainbow Reef, Charters Towers, Townsville, Queensland, for £'2ooo, in respect of his alleged breach of promise of marriage. The defendant has been absent in Australia for about 15 years, during which time a missive courtship was carried on between the parties. He returned in September last, with the avowed intention of marrying the pursuer, having previously settler! £IOOO upon her, as in Queensland they " never know what a day might bring forth." All the arrangements fur the marriage, even the wedding cake, and having gone to Glasgow to see some friends who were to grace the nuptials by their presence, ho appears to have suddenly changed his mind, and in place of returning, sent the following note to the pursuer : —" Dear Nellie, —[ am sorry to state that circumstances have turned up which make it quite, impossible that our marriage can take place. I enclose £2O to pay expenses incurred in the meantime until I come to myself. 1 am not able to return to explain all, but I must leave for a time. —I am, dear Nellie, yours, J . it. Ross." On the day after ho was married by declaration, before a magistrate, to a Miss Truelit, the daughter of a late, merchunt in Princess-street, Edinburgh. It appears that. Miss Trnofit wits on the evo of being married to another gentleman, when her marriage to the gold digger took place. He threatened an action for recovery of presents, Sit., which were therefore returned by the fortunate bride.

YANKEE COURTSHIP. This amusing hk'i'li'h orijritmlly iippenriiil in it New EnfcUuld (MMpaptti DtM »• »' f Indobtod for our ksewiodgt of it to " (.'linmliom' Edinburgh Jomml."

.Vitki! mv sleigh-ride taal riot r.andtb* sh'ppery Wei 1 was tarred by Patty Beau, nobody (could suspect me of hankering after the Rumen again In a Imm'. To bear me jump and swear, and rail out against the whole feminine

gender, yon would have token it for granted that I should never so much us lo<>k at one of then again to all eternity. 0, bat I was wieked ! Tom- out their ey< s, saya 1 ; blame their skins, and torment their hearts; finally, 1 took an .i ever 1 uv ddl d • r lui i auything 11 do with them again, 1 might bo . hoki d. But swearing off from women, and then going into a meeting-house choke full oi gals, all shining and glistening in their Sunday clothes and clean faces, is

like swearing oil from liquor and going into a grog-shop—it's all smoke. 1 held out and kept firm to my oath for three whole Sundays—forenoons, afternoons, and intermissions complete. On the fourth, there were strong symptoms of a change of weather. A chap about my size was seen on the way to the meeting-house, with a new patent hat on; his head hung by the ears upon a shirt-collar; his cravat had a padding in it, and branched out in front into a double-bow knot. He carried a straight back and a stiti' neck, as a man ought to do when he has his best clothes on ; and every time he spit, he sprang his body forward like a jack-knife, in order to shoot clear of the ruffles.

Squire Jone's pew ia next but two to mine, and when I stand up to prayers, and take my coat-tail under my arm, and turn my back to the minister, 1 naturally look right straight at Sally Junes. Now Sally has got a face not to be grinned at in a fog. Indeed, as regards beauty, some folks think she can pull an even yoke with Patty Bean. For my part, 1 think there is not much boot between them. Any how, they are so nigh matched that they have hated and despised each other, like rank poison, ever since they Were school girls. Squire Jones had got his evening fire on, and set himself down to reading the great Bible, when he heard a rap at his door. " Walk in. Well, John, how der do ? Oct out, l'ompey."—" Pretty well, i thank ye, Squire, and how ioyou do ? " • —" Why so as to be crawling—ye ugly beast, will ye hold your yop ? Haul up a chair and sit down, John." " How do !/oii do, Mrs. Jones ? " —" O, middlin'; how's yer inarm ? Don't forget the mat, there, Mr. Becdle." This put me in mind that i had been off soundings several times in the long muddy lane; and my bouts were in a sweet pickle. ft was now old captain JonoV. turn, the grandfather. Being aroused from a doze, by the bustle and racket, he opened both his eyes, at first with wonder and astonishment. At hist, he began to halloo so loud that ycu might hear him a mile ; fur ho takes it for granted that every bodv ;: just cxactiv as :!. ,l a: he is. '; Who is it? ['say, w.; » in the worM ■r ---r <v. n; J •: i L j.-i: in, ! G J.o' —"He, Johnny Beedle. 1 remember he was one summer at the siege of Boston." —'■ No, iii , father, hies- yum- heart, that was Ids grandfather, that's been dead and gone this twenty year.''—" Ho ; but where does he come from J"—"Daown taown." —''And what does he follow for a livin' '. " And he did not stop asking questions, after this sort, till all the particulars of the Beedlo family were published and proclaimed in Mrs. Jone's last screech. He then sunk back into his doze again."

The dog stretched himself before one handiron ; the cat squat down upon tho other. Silence came on by degrees like a calm snow storm, till nothing was heard but a cricket under the hearth, keeping tune with a sappy yellow-birch foresticle. Sally sat up prim, as if she were pinned to the chair-back—her bands crossed gently upon her lap, and her eyes looking straight into the fire. .Mammy Jones tried to straighten herself too, and laid her bands across in her lap; but they would not lie still. It was full twentyfour hours since they had done any work, and they were out of patience with keeping Sunday. Do what she would to keep them quiet, they would bounce np now and then, and go through the motions in spite of the fourth commandment. l'\)r my part, I sat looking very much like a fool. The more I tried to say something, the more my tongue stuck fast. I put my right leg over my left, and said, " hem." Then I changed, and put the left over the right. It was no use —the silence kept coming on thicker and thicker. The drops of sweat began to crawl all over me, I got my eye upon my hat, hanging on a peg, on the road to the door —and then eyed the door. At this moment, the old captain all at once sung out, " Johnny Boodle ! " It sounded like a clap of thunder, and I started right up on end. " Johnny Boodle, you'll never handlw sieb a drumstick as your father did, if vor live to the age of Methusaler. He would toss up his drumstick, and while it was whirlin' in the air, take oil' a gill cr rum, and then ketch it as it come down, without loan' a stroke in tho tunc. What d'ye think of that, Jia/ But skull your chair round, close er long sido o' mo, so yer can hear. Now, what have you come a'ter ?"—" I after ! <), jest takin' a»walk."—" Pleasant walkin', I guess."—" I mean jest to see how you all do."—" Ho! That's another lie. You've como a-courttn', Johnny Becdlo- • you're a'ter our SaL Say, now, d'yo want to marry, or only to court I"

This was what I «u a ohokor. Poor Sullv sutdfl but ou<: jump, and landed in

the middle of the kitchen ; wkl then aba .skulked in the dark corner, till the old man, aft r laughing himself into u whooping-cough, was put to bed. Than i inn apple* and cider; and the ice being bi ike, plenty ehat with Mammy Jones, about the minister and the "sarin in." I agreed with her to a nicety j upon all the points of doctrine ; but I hail forgot the text, and all the heads of the discourse but six. Then she teased and j tormented me to tell who I accounted the best'singer in the gallery that day. But, mum—there was no getting that out of me. " Praise to the face is often disgrace," savs I, throwing a sly squint at Sally. At lust, Mrs. Jones lighted t'other candle ; and after charging Sally to look well to the lire, she led the way to bed, and the Squire gathered up his shoes and stockings and followed. Sally and I were left sitting a good yard apart, honest measure. For fear of getting tongue-tied again. I set right in with a steady stream of talk. 1 told her all the particulars about the weather that was past, and also some pretty 'cute guesses at what it was likely to be in future. At first I gave a hitch up with my chair at every full stop. Then, growing saucy, I repeated it at every comma ami semicolon ; and at last it was hitch, hitch, hitch, and I planted myself fast by her side. " I vow, Sally, you looked so plaguy handsome to-day that I wanted to eat you up."—"Pshaw, git along you," says she. My hand hod crept along, somehow upon its fingers, and began to scrape acquaintance with hers. She sent it home again with a desperate jerk. " Try it again " —no better luck. " Why, Miss Jones, you're gettin' upstropulous —a little old modish, 1 guess."—"Hands off is fair play, Mr. Beedle." It is a good sign to find a girl sulky. I know where the shoe pinched. It was that 'ere Patty Beau business. So J went to work to persuade her that I had never had any notion after Patty, and to prove it I fell to running her down at a great rate. Sally could not help chiming in with me, and I rather guess Miss Patty suffered a few. I not only got hold of her hand without opposition, but managed to slip an arm round her waist. But there was no satisfying me —so I must go to poking out my lips after a buss. T guess I rued it. She fetched me a slap on the face that made me sec stars, and my ears rung like a brass kettle for a quarter of an hour. I was forced to laugh at the joke, though out of the wrong side of my mouth, which gave, my face something the look of a gridiron.

The battle now began in the regular way. " Ah, Sally, give me a kiss and have done with it."—" No I won't, so there, nor tech to."—"I'll take it whether or no."—" Do it, if you dare." And at it wo wont, rough and tumble. An odd destruction of starch now commenced. The bow of my cravat was squat up in half a shake. At the next bout, smash went shirt collar, and, at the same time, some of the head fastenings gave way, and down came Sally's hair in a Hood like a mill-dam broke loose, 'carrying away half a dozen combs. One dig of Sally's elbow, and my blooming rallies wilted down into a dishcloth. But she had no time to boast. Soon her neck tackling began to shiver ; it parted at the throat, ami whorah, came a whole school of blue an wdiite beads scampering and racing every which way about the floor. By the hokey, if Sally .Tone's isn't real grit, there's no snakes. She fought fair, however; I must own, and neither tried to bile of scratch ; and when she could fight no longer, for want of breath, she yielded handsomely. The upshot of the matter is, I fell in love with Sally Jones, bead over em's. Every Sunday night, rain or shine, finds Die rapping at Squire Jones's door, and twenty times have I been within a hair's breadth of popping the question. But now I have made a final resolve; and if I live till next Sunday night, and I don't get choked in the trial, Sally Jones will hear thundor.