TALK ABOUT TOWN.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 63, 14 December 1878, Page 2

TALK ABOUT TOWN.

"•There's a rliii-1 nmang ve taliin' notes, Ami faith hull prciit them." No doubt tliv numerous friends ana acquaintances of that celebrated c ilmired rwntleraan the Honourable John King Bruce, of Tiger Bay, Matafele, will lie pleased to hear,—a- wax announced in lhe"Bi'th" notices of last week's Times, tnat his wife has presented hj 1 w >h another "chip of the old The 11. in. John has n it decided upon a name for for this youngest chip, but I understand from privat i s mrees that he wished to include the Christian nam sof some of his best Frieuds on the beach, and will be something after this style :—Charles : Vernon It >boH Adolphc 'David James , Alfred King Brue. It may •« rather a Ion" n i ii". but after all, whit's in a :,;,:,„.;- "Thai which we cad arose, bv anv other nanin would smell as sweel ! Her,-'- In -k •Id man-gin and bitters J " Well, yes Sir, th.itik'eo, Sir, seem' it's you!" During the pasi few in irnings 1 have noticed several neatly dressed -iris and hoys passing along tin 1 road in the direcli.in of Aula, and nn linking enquiries I lin.i thai they ar tro iping away to the uuv Cf.,t -ta'nt. seii ill for tlio eli'ildreli of i" ..---i_r:i residents, which was opened a couplo of weeks ago under the auspices „f ,i board of trustees of which li,' Ituv (ieorgo A Turner, M I)., CM. LstheSeerotary. Instruction is given in the Protestant Church, Apia, the classes being coiuln t 1 by Mr. and Mrs. U' Byrne, who were specially engaged in Sydney for th i 1 purpose. There is uvery reason to believe that this lady and goiitloniiin ore fully competent for tlio duties which tliev have undertaken; indeed, tlio fact that they have for many v*urs boeu engaged under tho Now South Wales Council of Education is a splendid testimonial and guarantee of their attainments and abilities. Tho trustees guarantee a salry of £2OO a year for five years. One half of this amount is given by tho London Missionary Society, and the other half has to bo raised by public subscription. Among the very many objects for which money has from time to time boon solicited from tho foreign residents in Samoa, this is undoubtedly preeminently worthy of RUnport from all classes. The majority o( the resident*: here have willingly responded, and no [doubt the undertaking will be a great success, although, as I nm sorry to hear, that some people have objected to subscribe on the grounds that they had no children to send to school, When an educational establishment of this kind, — the ilrst also on the island,—depends, through the peculiar cogencies of the place, depends upon public sup|iort, such n ground for refusal to subscribe is at the least a liniToW-iuindcd and shabby excuse. There arc only two subscribers iu tho wliolo lot who send tlicir children

to Mho .!. Th.. parents of tb.- children I who daily receive iti-ti notion from Mr. : and Mi-s. Olivine can only atli.nl to pay the iohool fees, and depend on their s wealthier fellow-colonists to provide the * raeani ~f retaining the valuable services 1 of the teachers. l The latest betting on the Political i Situation iu Samoa may be ipioted as I follows: i Samoa Betting Market, < Friday, 1130 pm. < Bill II n y—scratched. -Marshall Y u g—Weak in the legs, and I badly trained. .'.O to 1, taken ( freely. ] 11 to i gtou—runs badly j his morning i gallops show no spirit; and bis i trainer and backers have lost con- i fidonco in him. 100 to 1, and no ] backers. The Premier Cup:—A new horse has been entered and golio into training for . this cup against the General who at the , presont time stands well at S4OOO to I , Tho n.-w horse is named P i oar.l, who although aged is well acquainted with tho ground and has pulled off more than , one race on this course in his time. The General, being recently imported is not yet acclimatised, but in his morning gallops ho gives evidence of s] 1 and good staying powers. He has a pretty stylo, and mam- of the knowing ones have taken a 'fancy to him. He is freelv backed at tho" price above quoted. Tienow horse takes unkindly to his training, has no stylo and had paces. His friends want to "hedge" already, although their ■pot" is only to the tune of S2OOO to I. At tho closing of the market the General was a stroll- favourite. At mi auction sale in Apia a few months ago a pan-.! of hooks were offered to tho public le,- that prince of auctioneers.— yclept Alvord. One of tbo onlookers, evidently of a literary turn of mind suggested to his friend that they should buy them to form tho nucleus of a lending library. The only result of the discussion which ensued was tho adjournment to a neighbouring public house not a hundred niili-s nwny from Joe Aeosta's. Not wishing to bo behind the age,—tho p ictieal ago, whieb s.-.-ms to bo flourishing if I may judge from the numerous and varied effusions of local poets which have lately appeared iu the Samoa Times, I present my readers with tho following dogorel founded mi the conversation I have refeu-ed to:— Both Bill and Jim mof in the room; Says Bill to Jim, " l/-.k here; I had a line this day at noon l'.o.ii one. Will Sh.ike-his-spear. lb- asks us both with him to tea, 11 hope it's not a soil): And he such lovely tilings will say. Such wondrous stories tell. ' Othello,'the ill-fated Moor; •Ham!.-!.' the musing Dane; 'Romeo and Juliet.' and their loves; Dark 'Richard's' hi ly reign; King- Lear uud his 'Cordelia' kind: Old 'Caesar' and his fate; 'Macbeth,' before the midnight bags ; All these will ho relate." 'Shakespero he hanged! the prating ass," Jim to Bill, "JJ've. hear? 'Cross to the' Goose and Donkey'pass, And let us have some Beet':" Says Bill, "one'Milton'sends a line, With just the same invito ; lie says -in organ and a harp Hell play to our delight. In solemn music he excels, In the truly grandest verse; Tho marvels of far-distant times, He otters to rehears.-. •Bout, a giirdun fair called 'Paradise,' First 1..-t' and then 'Regained'; Of Tenseroso,' mild and sa 1 ; Then, too. a song he'll sing Of 'Lycidos' and 'Cotnus' too; Surely a pleasant thing!" •Milton be hanged! the prating ass," Says Jim to Bill, '-D'ye hear? 'Cross to the '(loose and Donkey' p:uss, Come,—let ushavosomo Beerl" Well then, says Bill, savs he, "Perhaps This noil, will please you more, It comes from 'Dickens," who they say. Lived quite at our own door. 11.-, to .. will spend an hj - with u>; (Jim ! siiiv 'tis wondrous kind,) 11, 'll tell us stories by tho yard. If so we are inclined ; Stories thai draw your t inrs, and when Those tears are scarcely dried Roll you iu laughter, .till you're forced To hold your aching sides." "Dickens bo hanged! the prating ass," Says Jim to Bill, "D'ye hear! ■Cross to the 'Goose and Donkey' pass, Come, —let us have some Beer!" Into the nearest "public" then. ltoth Bill and Jim did fare, (Tin- uionoy burning in their fobs), Then when they entered there, One (loose and Donkey on the sign, Was shown ill paillf and tar, due other Goose and Donkey stood And tippled at the Bar'.'" ('Villi..