AT THE CORNER.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4916, 11 October 1884, Page 2

AT THE CORNER.

[by nemo.] Homo sum, Jnunani nildl a me alienum futo.

Even Church sacraments are now be» coming of secondary importance to the almighty dress and fashion. A Home correspondent of a colonial paper thus writes : —"Now that I am on the subject of royalty, it would perhaps interest you to know that the Princess Louise, the eldest daughter of the Priace of Wales, was privately confirmed last Thursday in the new room which has been lately built at Osborne for special use as a chapel. The princess was dressed in a simple white Indian muslin of the finest texture. The skirt had a very deep pleated flounce; edged with tucks, and a^tfiriic' which/Jell very low in front and" draped vp v.'very high at the sides in a number of soft folds, whence it fell again over the skirt at the back. The bodice was pointed back and front, and was made full, with the gathers carried down over the point in front, just as was fashionable long ago. The bodice was finished at the top with a gathered ruche of soft muslin." This is really touching. I wonder how the Archbishop of Canterbury would arch his eyebrows if he saw this pomp and vanity business run alongside of one of the

sacraments of his Church, and such pro* minence given to the p and t.

XX . X If the report of the brutal conduct of the Auckland Gaoler and Warden-^ towards the unfortunate girl Smith, be correct, I hope the cowardly and unmanly ruffian guilty of it, and his dastardly superior, will not only be di.smiised but severely punished for their* inhuman behaviour. If the police had severely thrashed the unfeeling wretches thpy would have met the approval of all chivalrous men, and bad I been in Sergt. Gamble's place the gaoler would not have escaped the castigation he merited. The luspector of Prisons will no doubt keep an eye on the Mount Eden officials.

XXX I am informed on most reliable authority that a local Dramatic Club is almost formed, and in view of helping the desire of the Hospital Committee to " raise the wind " with a view to showing the Government that we can do something to* wards supporting our local institution, I would suggest to them that they ask the Club to give its' first performance in aid of the funds of that institution. I learn thatTT several members of no mean capabilities have entered the Clubs ranks, and a good financial result should follow an entertain* ~ ment given for so deserving on object.

What a splendid way of raising the wind some of our " Salvation" friends have. They notify that a major,^t notable captain, is coming to visitme " camp," and that a tea»fight is to be given, in honor of the occasion—tickets eighteenpence. This " starring;" of distinguished professors seems to pay well. Oar religious friends are not above trying business •' puffs " to get filthy lucre.

" Charity covereth a multitude of sins,*' " Friendship, love, and truth," " Let brotherly love continue," and a variety of other neat, appropriate, and affectionate mottoes figure as the guiding maxims of several Friendly Societies with large membership, but I fear that recent events illogically Zoc^e-ical tend to induce to the belief that resurgam as regards the mottoes will have to be used. Not long ago a field day in the Pulice Court was the result of a dispute between a lodge and its doctor; y a few discrepancies somewhat unaccounU ably crept into the evidence. This shook the " Truth" idea. Then again some little animosities seemed to exist between brethren, and were shown so plainly that they entirely demolished the " Friendship and Love " part of the business. I fear it will be long e'er " the milk of human kindness" flows in a sufficiently animated stream. > to allow life to run as it should. I noticed in the proceedings of one of our local bodies this week an action taken by one of its members, which betrays anything but the broad mind expected to exist in persons holding such positions ; in fact, to those knowing " all about it, you know," it points out the existence of anything but a proper spirit in a public man. It appears that one of the officers of the body in question receives the munificent salary of £2 per week, and this is a man with a family; he was enabled to supplement this enormous, income occasionally by sued trifles as a few guineas in the way of Returning Officer's fees, but behold ! he offended,— he did something to raise the ire of a certain element in the assembly, he aroused the dreadful vengeance of a party, and it, in the plenitude of its power, has resolved that no more election, guineas shall go to this unworthy, pampered, and so much over-paid official. I await the action of the Council in tbe matter.

One of the most serious and sober of our Borough Conncillors perpetrated a ' joke the other evening, and increased its body by looking as " glum as a mustard pot " after the proceeding—ho had done the thing unconsciously. The meeting was appointing its annual committees, and when it came to the names of the pro-^. posed Water Supply Committee the name' of a well known teetotal Councillor was mentioned. "Oh! yes," said a sobersided member, "I know Or— — has mads a speciality of this subject; water has been made a careful study by him, and it would be a pity to hare him off it." There were few smiles.

" Euterpe " has dropped me a line anenfc the concert given on Tuesday evening ia connection with the Mutual Improvement Association. The writer wants to know what your contemporary means by stating in his critique that a "quartette" was played on '• three instruments." This is as correct a statement as that describing the bloodless combat in Midshipman Easy, when a " triangular duel" was mentioned. " E." says he thought a joke was being tried, but the thing did not look funny enough for that. I must inform my correspondent that I cannot tell what a violacella (referred to ia the same notice) is,