A musical Top-Coat.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 61, 2 August 1884, Page 5

A musical Top-Coat.

Among the various cafes, of Vienna there is one which is particularly notorious as being the habitual resort of the bourgeoisie of the neighbourhood. It is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of the city, and the grounds have beon laid out in a picturesque manner. Mine host, too, has not only an eye for the tasteful, but a tongue for the same, and he finds it to his profit to keop on his premises tho best stuff to be had for miles around. Tho bourgeoisie knowing that the landlord of the establishment keeps such good cheer, pay him tho compliment of their custom, and thus both find it to their mutual advantage. Should it happen that the guest has a desire to play a game of cards, billiards, or chess, ho has only to step into Fritz's (that is the name of the landlord) large room and find himself a partner. A few weeks ago the largo room was crowded as usual with company. At one table sat four gentlemen deeply absorbed in a game of cards. One of the quirtette, a stout, middle-aged gentleman, and who had about him plenty of that bluster and fire which is so characteristic a feature of the average *tout gentleman, didn't seem to be in a happy stato of mind. Ue had been losing pretty hca\ily all along, and tho result ot tho last deal was that ho hadn't a trump card in his hand. lie felt as it ho would like to relieve his mind by kicking sorao one. The gome was being watched w ith breath, less interest by a dozen or more on-lookers' Suddenly tho tranquility of the scene was broken in upon by the lively strains of a chorus from a popular opera. The sound seemed to come from the furthest end of the room. Fitz from behind his counter looked perplexed, lie couldn't make it out. The company cast searching glances round the room, in vain endeavouring to discover the whereabouts of the performer. Tiie only person in that part of the room from which the bounds proceeded was a young man. But he seemed to be considerably alarmed, and more startled than anyone el&o in the room. He was trying to get his arms into a huge top-coat, and couldn't make out for the life of him hat on earth was tho matter. Ho glanced eagerly in all directions ; the eyes of the company were fixed upon him ; ho turned deathly pale, and his legs trembled violently. Still tho music continued to peal forth, and the company \\ ere more perplexed than sver, at least all except tho stout gentleman. He seemed to know something about it. Immediately he had succeeded in squeezing himself through the circle of people who surrounded the card-table, he sprang m ith extraordinary agility to the other end of the room, and collared the unfortunate youth by the collar. "You — you scoundrel!" he panted; " take that, and that, and that !" and he apostrophised each "that" -with a swinging clout on the ear. " Oil" with that coat, you wretch '" "My dear sir " began the young man. "Eh ! what's that? You won't?" ''Allow me to " But the stout old gentleman wouldn't. The lively opera tuno still rattled away, and to its accompaniment ho commenced another series of blows. Pretty soon, however, the unfortunate young man slipped out of the coat, and made a precipitous rush in the direction of the door, through which he escaped, leaving the article of apparel in the hands of tho obese one. As the latter held the co.it out at arm's length, it .seemed to strike everyone in the room that the music proceeded from the pockets or somewhere of tho coat. The company crowded round, and asked for a solution of the musical enigma. It was soon given. The fact was that the top-coat belonged to the stout party. When he entered the cafe, he hung the coat on a peg, and the young man, seeing that tho owner was deeply engaged with the cards, intended to walk oil" with it. The gentleman explained that for tke last threeorfonryears he had been lobbed of topcoat after top-coat, and at last, driven to desperation, he had conceived the idea of fixing a music-box, about six inches square and one in thickness, in a pocket fitted to the back of the coat. It was provided with projecting springs which, at the slightest touch, sot the wheels in motion, when tho instrument at once began to play nearly as loud as a small barrel-organ. What a pity it is that some genius thirsting for fame does not invent a music-box of a somewhat similar kind, which might be concealed in the folds of our umbrellas. The idea is a good one, and somebody might make a fortune out of it. As tho suggestion has come from us we hope that inventors will give us the first chance of buying their patents, and .send particulars of same to "Tit-Bits" offices, as we believe there is money in it.

A gigantic encyclopedia is in preparation at Hongkew, China. It was begun two years ago, and when finished will not have its eqqql in execution and volutninousness. This unique work bears the title of " Bo Su Chuck Seurn," which means, "From Early Times to the Present." About 150 persons have been engaged during tho past two years in printing and illustrating this work, the literary pavt of which is being done by a number of tho most eminent Chinese scholars, and to complete which will take one more year. It is not yet known how many volumes the work will comprise, but it will not fall much short of I,OUO. The cost of printing the work is roughly esti: mated at £6,000, and the price put down for one copy of the whole work is about £120, at which cost a groat number of subscribers have already signed their names. In Ir dia eggs are hatched by the heat of the sun, Performing the part of a lien, therefore, let it no longer be the boast of Englishmen that the sun never "sets " on the British Dominions. Sultan Sidi Muley Hassan, of Morocco, treads in the footsteps of tho renowned Solomon. Recently His Royal Highness took unto himself his thousandth wife, and celebrated the event by a grand dinner to his other wives and slaves,