THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 71, 21 January 1882, Page 294

THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

— Masters Murray and Allom return to the Nelson College in about a week's time. — A couple who have been courting for over six years are about to be united in the holy bonds. — Willie Boon has returned from Sydney, but does not appear to have improved physically by his residence in the sister colony. — There is no truth whatever in the rumour that " Prophet" Wood will assume the editorial chair of the new morning paper. Jerry Horn has got his eye on that billet. — It is admitted that the juvenile ball given in the Academy of Music by Major and Mrs Murray last week was, without exception, the largest and most successful gathering of the kind that has ever taken place on the field. — The marriage of Mr Sheelian -was -a surprise to almost everyone on the Thames. People here had no idea whatever that one of Cupid's darts had at last effected a lodgment in the hon. srentleman's heart, and that a matrimonial alliance would shortly follow. — Mrs Ehrenfried, one of the leaders of society at Quartzopolis, can handle the ribands quite as well as any of the sterner sex, and was the cynosure of all eyes as she drove some of her friends through the principal thoroughfares one day last week. —Mr Sheehan, M.11.R. for the Thames, and his handsome bride arrived from the city late on Saturday night, and spent the first portion of their honeymoon in this district. They attended both the services at the Catholic Church on Sunday, and in the afternoon drove as far as Kirikiri. — On dit that a gentleman who was connected with the management of one of the mines at Waitekauri in the palmy days is about to take unto his manly bosom a wife, in the person of a young and dashing brunette, who at one time dispensed long beers and P.B.s in a Paeroa hostelry. — The first garden party of the season was given by Sir James Marshall on Friday last, and was most successful. There were a large number of guests, including some Auckland visitors, and very pretty costumes were worn by ladies present. A pleasant afternoon was spent by the company. — It is said that a certain person who for years past has been officiating as a " local x>reacher" at one of our dissenting chapels has cleared to Australia without bidding his friends farewell, and rumour hath it that his hasty departure was effected in order to prevent the particulars of a certain little affair in which he was mixed up being made public. — The cricketers of the Thames should be ashamed of themselves. A meeting of the club was convened for Saturday to consider the advisability of playing a match with the English Eleven ; but at the appointed hour only three members (including Egging - ton, the secretary, and Tommy Lawless) put in an appearance, and the meeting consequently lapsed. It is a matter of regret that such should have boon the c:.- ■. — The lady who for some time past has kin '.ly assisted me in describing the most striking dresses worn this summer has " struck," and placed me in consequence in a quandary. My fair readers must excuse me,, therefore, for omitting to describe some of the very many fashionable costumes which I come across in the course of my peregrinations. However, I trust to be able to secure the "services of some other friend before long, and shall then be in a position to supply the deficiency. — Some few weeks ago I mentioned that it was very probable the particulars of a scnndalum magnum would be ]">laced before the public shortly, which would doubtless be highly relished hi* the gossips of the place. At the time I penned the paragraph there appeared to be every prospect of a public expose eventuating, but happily the disgrace which would follow such a proceeding has been avoided, some Mends of the parties having interposed ; and a number of people who always evince an interest in matters prurient have thereby been deprived of what would be to them a delightful piece of scandal. — Dan Cloonan is awfully disgusted with the Irish Land League. It appears that the other day he received a large package of tickets in a lottery which is being inaugurated for the benefit of the downtrodden inhabitants of the Emerald Isle, and as there are enough to supply the whole of the province with, he has been sorely exercised since their receipt as to what he shall do with them. He has, however, hit upon a plan for getting rid of them, and ere this appears in print will probably have carried it into effect. Dan says Speight is the only Land Leaguer on the Thames, and he intends to have the whole consignment shipped to that gentleman's residence in Sealey-street. — It is about time that the police authorities bestirred themselves in the matter of liquor-selling after the prohibited hours. Although the new Licensing Act is in force, some of our licensed victuallers seem to consider that they have a perfect right to dispense intoxicants at all hours of the day and night, and the consequence is that those publicans who conform to the law are the sufferers, inasmuch as that they have not so many opportunities of picking up stray sixpences as those of their brethren who habitually infringe the licensing regulations. Only last week liquor was being sold in a Grahainstown hotel up to 4 o'clock in the morning, and men were seen to emerge therefrom half-an-hour afterwards. This sort of thing should be put a stop to at once. — The other night a well-known tradesman in the northern end of the town, who had been wetting his throttle with something stronger than aquapura, entered a certain establishment in Pollen-street for the purpose of purchasing an article of daily use. The time was 10 o'clock, and our friend, who was fully "three sheets in the wind," failing to attract attention by knocking on the counter, opened a side door and walked into the dining-room, on a table in which he perceived the materials for an excellent supper laid out. Without the slightest hesitation, he flopped into a chair at the side of the table, and polished off a quantity of the edibles, after which he entered another department, on a couch in which the lady of the house was quietly slumbering prior to getting up and attending on her liege lord, who was absent at a meeting down the street, and for whom the supper had been laid out. At this juncture the husband came home, and, finding that the best portion of the edibles had been eaten, he rushed off to the bedroom, where he came into collision with the bibulous individual, who suddenly awoke to a realisation of the state of affairs, and endeavoured to beat a retreat, but without success. The scene which followed can be better imagined than described, and resulted in the tradesman handing over to the irate husband a soother in the shape of a cheque for a good round sum. The incident is a true one, and can be vouched foi\ — A well-known itinerant vendor of bottles, bones, and similar refuse sets a good example of politeness to a large number of young men on the Thames. I observed this irrepressible old gentleman walking along Albert-street the other day with his everlasting bag rolled up under his arm. Meeting a female — not necessarily a lady — the bottlenmn greeted her with a most respectful bow, at the same time doffing his cap with an air of inexpressible gallantry. By way of contrast, there might at the same time have been seen on the opposite side of the street a young spark who moves in the circles of the " upper ten thousand," and who considers himself, in Yankee phraseology, " no small pumpkins." This individual, by a most remarkable coincidence, chanced to meet a lady almost at the same time as did the afore-mentioned trader in small goods ; but do you think he would condescend to remove his headdress, in common politeness ? Not he ; that would have been teo laborious a task. He merely responded to the lady's glance of recognition by an unceremonious bob of the head. Comparisons, no doubt, are odious ; but still they must be drawn occasionally, especially when such glaring contrasts are noticeable.