Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 33, 9 February 1904, Page 2

Stratford News.

(From our own correspondent.) The Choral Society is iii full swing again, rehearsing Haydn's "Seasons," "Winter" being the piece selected. "Till' Norwegian Bridal Song" and another part song, to be decided, will make up the programme for the next concert, which takes place on March iiutli. It is understood that the conductor, llerr Overbye,* is to choose soloists from members of the society, ami as there are several good singers attending practices, he. should be able to find some i*l,iinl to tire tusk. There are so few contracts coming out now, and they are cut so line, that a well-known Stratford contractor intends leaving shortly for Tailin.pc, which seems to be regarded as a lan.l of promise. On .Saturday evening n writ was served on Itout. Spend', solicitor, at the instance of Bessie Fleming, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, ellaiining £2OO damages for negligence. The. uniform ojitcstion is agitating the minds of the lefcal volunteers. They are all devil-iuay-cnre, dns-hing lady-killers, and they waint a uniform to match. A little story that is being; told of the wiles of a "confidence l man" who lately visited us is too good to pass over, although sympathy is with the local business main, who is both 'cute und straight und a "goode fellowe." The modus operandi was something like this : Tho visitor duly introduced himself to the manager of a concern here, us representing a large American hardware firm. He had illustrated catalogues, and could talk hardware with fluency. Finally he did a stroke of business—sold' two tons of wire, landing at Wellington ex " . ," to come up next day. Then he wandered over to the business man, whose linn hnicl a large shipment of wire just to hand, so the American gentleman), much to his disappointment, couldn't place any. "Saay," he remarked, "tho ' ' gets here on the —th, oh?" "No, ;vot till the said the business man. "There now ; guess I'll have to disapp'int that manager. Saay, you couldn't send him over two tons of your wire, and I'll send you on two of mine when it arrives.'" "Oh, yes," wias the unsuspecting reply ; and the wire was promptly delivered. The enterprising Yank as promptly collected the cash,' and thereafter gently -dissipated Jtimself into si/nice.