TRIFLES BY THE WAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 263, 3 June 1880, Page 2

TRIFLES BY THE WAY.

Kiich slj Sangrado, with liis poisonous qi ill, Flies to the Printer’s Devil.”— Hoa. Smith

“ All things change, except the present hard times.” In keeping with the above. I’ve resolved to go in for a change. Henceforth my effusions will hear the title of “Trifles by the Way,’' and 111 sign myself “Tin; Trifler.” “ Capita nos Letter” wasn’t high-sounding enougivjnd that hackneyed iTenchism, “Horn soit qni nial ’y pe;se,” so unLque ;-.nd iuaipropriitc, that 1 thought a change in tinname of my contrihuti u would nut ho out of pi a re.

TV-r- is an 'lenient of goodness in T:mavu which, carp though critics may, cannot be smothered out of sight or denied. Tiie peoj-le of Timaiu are essentially good —.out on Sundays only. If they believe in any thing, it is in their respective creeds, and the way that they act up to them on those days is truly refreshing to behold. The wife-beaters, money-grinders, storekeepers, and pawnbrokers are met on the road to church, dressed in their best, all assuming a seraphic cast of countenanc* not habitual to them on week-days, and Tom, Dick and Bill are seen coming in from the country, with “ our sisters, and our cousins, and our uncles, a; d our aunts ” bringing up the rear in a 40-ton dray. I am digressing. A stranger on going to public worship in Timaru is immediately struck with a “ beaming, heavenly look ” visible on the faces of the majority of the worshippers present, and he at once concludes that the Timaruvians are a good people. While at church in Timaru lately I was struck with the appearance of a ven-erable-looking old man,who took a loading part in the proceedings, praying, singing, etc., and relating to those present the good religion had done for him, and yet the very next day that very same man put in a bailiff to seize the goods of a poor lone widow who owed him the sum of £5. That is the religion of New Zealand. I’ve particularly noticed that some people have two “looks,” so to speak. On Sunday at church there is a sort of heavenly, hypocritical look ; but on Monday, the look of the d 1.

“ Has anybody ever seen a poor Jew or a dead donkey 1” This is a question which for many years has been unsolved, and probably it will remain so for many years to feme. I should like t-> add another 10 the question :—“ Did any one ever have an umbrella returned which he left at the puhhc room of a lion-l, or forgot at a place id entertainment? I should like this query answered, because I have a sort of personal interest in it. I left an umbrella o-i Saturday week last at a “ certain pb-c I’ve not seen it vet. It was none of your “ Sairey G.anp” ginghams, but a :le.rough-bred silk at 2Ss. It w; s quite .new, only a slight rent in it, with the handle half gone ; and 1 hope whoever has apt i ■ printed it—in trust for the owner, of course—will remember when they look at that sen protect- r that I’ve lost n y umbroll i If tey do they will enable me to answer the thir question I have added Of course, I never expject to hear of an ambrella should I lend it, but when I lose or leave in anywhere there is some hope. Any how, 1 cherish one, and let me not be disappointed.

Bibies at church, public entertainments, and joy meetings are very nice enjoyable little creatures. It has been my fortune, good or bad I won’t say, to be at meetingwhere I have been flanked by 1 abies. Everything goes on quietly for a time. At last, one little item of hmmw ity sets tip a wild squeal, and immediately the others join in as if by a preconcerted arrangement. If there are thirty babies in a room, and one pipes a gentle s A, depend upon it the other twenty-nine will join in the chorus. The other nijj iit, for instance, at the Frolique Troupe’s entertainment at Timaru, I was in th- vicinity of two little ones. One set up du~ ng the “Temple of Fame ” song a wild ski 1, and s-iou the other joined in. Never did [ hear such a row : the pair roared louder than a Bashan bull ever did, and positively one couldn’t hear a note of the song. I can easily understand now why at the foot of some theatrical notices is placed the announcement—“ Children in arms, one guinea.”

After years of hope, the ardent wishes of zealous Roman Catholics are realised, and their hearts warmed by the existence of a church they may vv-dl bo proud of. Tiie old building is indeed a “ one-horsi-J affair, and I don’t wonder at Bishop Redwood being puzzled as to what order of architecture it belonged. It is very primitive and tumbledown, and as soon as the Bishop saw it its days were numbered as a place of public worship. A magnificent

church is to take its place, regarding the architecture of which there can be no two opinions. It is not only outside it looks well, but it wil'. (when finished) look well inside with its three altars, p -inlqd windows, etc. My Homan Catholic r Wends, \ accept my congratulations upor; haying in prospective sui h a grand edifice. .

Considering the scarcity of candour in' Temuka (if the cap fits anyone he can . wear it)l think it advisable to rescue from obscurity the following “yarn ” told of a well-known leading divine : —lt is .told of the great Temperance orator. Mr Gough that In* once interviewed » leading divine on theaubjecl of teetuta isrn. “Perhaps < you have never thought of the subject ?” said Mr Gough. “Gh, yes,” returned the divine, “I have-'’ “Then perhaps you drink wine because i! is recommended by your medical man ?” “Oh, no, nothing , of the kind,' ’ was the reply. “ Well, then you take it out-of def'-rencetoohe customs of the society in which you live V’ asked ■■■■! the orator. “ Oh, no—no.” “ Wei I then may I ask you why yoii drink wine ?” “ Well, the fact is, Mr Gough.” said the divine ” I take it because I like U.” ■The Trxfier.