THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 70, 14 January 1882, Page 278

THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

-ffr . — Tlio clannishness of Scotchmen is proverbial. How couies it then that a Mynheer is admitted to the assay department of the Bank of New Zealand. — Looking over the list of Macs in the " Thames Directory, it is not surprising that the district maintains a Scottish Battalion. — Amongst the visitors to the Thames at the time of writing 1 were the Misses Binney (2)', M. Errington, Baxter, Robb, and Sherwin. — Since my last, Mr Wm. McConnell has been married to Miss M. A. Craig-, and Mr L. W. Parsons to Miss E. Eiisor. — Grarry Clarke has returned to Napier, much to his regret and also that of several damsels on The Block. — The fascinating chemist of Pollen-street has a great desire to know when Miss S., of Parnell, who was recently on a visit to some friends in Sealey-street, intends to return to Quarfczopolis. — It is said that a certain Volunteer Officer got very jolly one night during Christmas, and that his hotter-half thereupon trimmed his hirsute appendages with the scissors. He looks as fierce as a buck rat if anyone enquires who did it. — Several persons who were walking along the Road afc dusk one evening last week would very much like to know the name of the gentleman who was lying at the bottom of a passing spring cart in a beastly state of intoxication. — Within the past mont.li no less a sum than £370 has been raised here by subscriptions towards presentations, and the wonder is where all the money comes from. Of the above amount Mr Speight received £100, Mr H. Mcllhone £150 and Rev. Father O'Reilly £95. The Thames, after all, cannot be as poor as some people would make it appear to be. — The principal feature at the concert in aid of the Meehan family was Mr Wiseman's character song, "The march on Parihftka," which was enthusiastically received, as it deserved to be. The composition is excellent, and as the song is set to a well-known air it is almost certain to become popular with the public. Mr Wiseman's "get up" was immense, and was very appropriate. — A certain gentleman, whose wife has been staying in the metropolis during the holidays, has been " doing the heavy" down here with one of his unmarried lady friends duriug his spouse's absence, and it is expected that he will have a " bad quarter-of-an-hour" with her when she returns, as this is not the first time he has been acting the part of the gay Lothario when out of his wife's sight. — Jack Poulgrain, the rising young barrister, did the amiable on the Goods Wharf on Saturday evening in grand style, and was envied by several of his male acquaintances," "your own," of course, not included. Johnny is now an acknowledged ladies' man, and will, doubtless, contract a matrimonial alliance with some fair creature before long. ■ — The favourite amongst the ladies is D. H. Gr. ; the most amusing man on the Thames is Jack L., the auctioneer, with the golden hair; the most dignified man is the secretary of the Protestant Alliance Society ; and the best looking, Charlie McLean; the steadiest smoker is Gudgeon, of the Union ; the heaviest alcoholist is — I'll go no further this week. — Jimmy Grillies, the youthful pedagogue of the Hastings Public School, is spending his Christmas and holidays at the Thames, and is, as usual, a " whole team" among the girls. He has actually been encouraging them to contravene the spirit- of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, by entering into betting transactions on the results of the races. The good grace with which ho paid over that pair of gloves to Miss was worthy of imitation by other young men. — A sturdy Teutonic new chum was the other day, elating the experiences of the day's explorations to a circle oi! friends. Among other incidents mentioned, he said he had seen one of our gallant red-coated Volunteers proceeding to parade. " Vy," said he, " I nearly fainted. I thought it was an overgrown crab-fish." Rather rough on our citizen soldiers, wasn't it ? Baurne, who is a member of the Scottish Battalion, intends to " go" for that youth. — During Granny Davey's absence from home, that wag " Boxer," amused himself by trying one of the old dame's embroidered petticoats. In the nick of time the old' lady arrived on the scene, and " Boxer" thought he'd "git" home at once. You may judge how he looked flying out of the house in a white skirt, the dame in full chase with her silk umbrella. In essaying the gutter he subsided, and when lnst seen Granny was tugging at his heels to get her dimity out of the sewer. — Is it true that a certain disciple of Sam Slick, in Grahainstown, is on a visit to TeAroha (the Mountain of Love), and that to confirm the name of the place he has taken four bonnie Thames lassies wi' him as companions ? If so, are they the young women who are in the habit of frequenting a certain horological establishment in Grahamstown, on the walls of which hang numerous passages of scripture ? I'm afraid that Mrs Harnpson's presence is much needed to bring back the wondering sheep to the fold. — Mr and Mrs W. Carpenter entertained between fifty and sixty children at their residence, Sealeystreet, on Thursday evening, the occasion being the birthday of one of the family. The host and hostess

exerted themselves to- render the youngsters Happy, and succeeded in making the evening a very enjoyable one for their numerous guests. A gathering of a similar nature was held in the Academy of Music on Tuesday night last, Major and Mrs Murray being the host and hostess. There were fully one hundred children present, in addition to a number of adults. The hall was tastefully decorated, the music good, the refreshments excellent, and the little ones thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

— A piece of very shabby bxisiness lias come under my notice, which deserves to be recorded. Some weeks ago, a young man, who is well known on the field, resolved to fulfil the Scriptural injunction by taking unto himself a wife, and in due course his personal friends were apprised of his intention. The nuptials were to be celebrated in a quiet manner, but the father-in-law prospectu had given the young fellow_ permission to invite two or three of his intimate friends to be present at the wedding, and accordingly a couple of the happy man's acquaintances were asked to attend on a certain day. They promised to do so, and one of them went so far as to purchase a beautiful wedding present from a local jeweller. The marriage was consummated about a week before the date specified, and as the young fellows had received no intimation as to the alteration, they were, of course, not present, and only heard that the knot had been tied two days after the ceremony had taken place.