GENERAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 204, 27 November 1879, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

(From our Exchange*.) Another case of a woman person-ting a men is reported by the lluckhamptou Argus. At Evans’s .Royal Hotel in that township two persons, apparently bushm :iy, i'l-vl their liquors and their i ■ smoke ?«•’ stayed all night. In the - morning Mr Evans said to his wife, “ You have got a rum kind of a lodger in one of those two that came in yesterday afternoon ; for if he isn’t a woman, I never saw one in my life.” Mrs Evans did not credit this ; but Mr Evans insisted he was right, and determined to inform the police, as, in the course of the conversation, the person he suspected had stated that he knew Sergeant Burke. While the business of the Police Court was going on Burke, having been put on the alert, kept a sharp look-out, and presently saw a face in 'the gallery which he recognised as that Of a woman who had been in his charge in August of last year, and who, on being taken into custody, proved to be Mrs Evans’s male lodger. At .first she denied the charge, but at length burst into tears and confessed. Her name was Johanna Eeifling, and that the man with whom she had been ts avelling had not the least idea that she was a woman is evident from the fact of his going to the lock-up and asking Burke what they were going to do with that young fellow. She got a months imprisonment under the Vagrancy Act. There is a species of stinging scorpion found in the river bottoms of Western Texas. Immediately after the birth of her young, the female places them in a basket shaped receptacle on hei back, where they at once attach themselves and begin sucking’ her blood. Of course the mother soon succumbs to this unfilial treatment and begins to droop. The young ones are by this time sufficiently nourished to demand more substantial food, and kill their mother and devour her. Should one of the young ones become detached from the living nest, it is at once feasted upon by the mother, dims it seems that while the female willingly sacrifices her life to her offspring - , yet she does not hesitate to kill them should they be so devoid of instircl as to refuse to remain where' she places them after birth. While this is going on, the male parent stands around evidently “ bossing the job.” It takes a great deal to squelch a ' newspaper reporter, but the way now has been found out in Wellington. Miss Fiddler is giving lessons in cookery there, and the Post thus yams over the tl intensity of the situation ” in which the pencilists found themselves:—A table had been placed for the “ gentleman of the Press ” in front of the platform, and in -full range of 200 female eyes of every degree of penetration. It was too much. Fearless as tie 1 unhappy reporters nsca’ly are in the discharge of their functions, their - well known modesty m this instance got the belter of their rigid attention to dutv, ami they shrinkingly returned to the rear of the imposing array of female loveliness and took their notes in a furtive and fear-stricken manner, which ought to have niched the heart of every feuitie beholder. The Ballarat Star is informed it is the intention of Mr Joseph Clarke (brother to the Hon. W. J. Clarke) to open for agricultural purposes apart ofhis estates in Yew Zealand. The land is of the very best quality, capable of yielding from 50 to 60 bushels of grain to the acre. It would appear that Mr Clarke is desirous of following in the footsteps of his popular brother, and. like him, give the best portions of his estates to the rearing of men and women,instead of cattle and sheep. Anyone fortunate enough to obtain a farm under Mr Clarke will have no cause to regret his choice of a landlord. Some days ago ( says a home paper) a farmer and his shepherd were together in a field near Sowyn, Merionethshire, looking after a large flock of sheep. Suddenly apeculi rr cracking and rustling sound caused them to lift up their heads when to their great astonishment they perceived the stacks and sheaves in an adjoining wheat field being whirled about by some invisible agency. The course of the destroyer appeared to be directed to where the flock of sheep were quietly grazing. With a rushing sound what proved to be a whirlwind was upon them, and in a few seconds,to the intense alarm and consternation of the farmer and his man, it scattered their flock of sheep about like chaff. One of the sheep was lifted by the force of the whirlwind a tremendous height into the air, and fell to the ground dead. The wind passed quickly away in a westerly direction without doing further damage. There is no record of, neither do the oldest people living remember, so singular an ‘occurrence in this part of the Principally #of Wales. , The Westport Times tells us the "following good story: —‘‘ Bellerine, near (Geelong, consists cheifly of one long street. For the convenience of worshippers, the Episcopalians have erected a church at each end of the town, where service is conducted each Sunday mornk ing and afternoon alternately by the SP same clergyman. A short time since ■ the natives were astounded at reading the following announcement, which was tacked upon the door of each church: — c - ()n Sunday next the Rev. ——; will baptize infants at both ends.’ ” Always speak well of the dead, and once in a while a good word for the living, if you have the time. A handkerchief flirtation is a very simple thing. It only requires two /ools and two handkerchiefs.