THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 77, 4 March 1882, Page 398

THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

— Young Londergan, the well-known cornefc-a-piston, is about to start in business amongst us. Look otit, Hunter, and secure him first.

— Mrs Eobert Workman wore an elegant costume in the street one day this week, and looked very well in it.

— •' Prophet" Wood was awfully disgusted at not being elected a director of the Thames Newspaper Company, and now goes about repeating the immortal Bard's well-known lines on ingratitude.

—During the visit of the Eev. Mr Adamson to New South Wales he was offered the charge of a circuit in that colony, and it is said to be very probable that he will apply to be removed thither.

The spruce young agent of the Bank of New South Wales, at Grahamstown, is immense as a " grinder." The way in which he manipulated the galvanic battery at the Congregational Bazaar for the delectation of the youngsters was really beautiful.

—The Thames " blue jackets " attended church parade on Sunday, under their " fust lif tenant " Tommy Lawless. A report had appeared in a Star local that a big gun of a cornet-player would lend his assistance for the route, but many who turned out for church were completely sold, no " Levl " putting in an appearance.

The Toole Dramatic Club will appear on the boards of the Acadaruy on Wednesday next, in " All is not gold that glitters." The performance will be m aid of the local fire brigades. Tke company lias been rehearsing the piece for some time past, and a treat is m Store for those who attend the performance.

— " Slap, bang, here we are again." The Rev. T. W. Adam son is amongst us once more ; but unfortunately will not remain for more than a month or two, being about to remove to another circuit. The jovial young person has improved in appearance by his trip to the sister colonies. I presume that " little " affair will eventuate ere he leaves us.

— The assault case, Gi-rigg v. Denby, came on for hearing before the R.M. last Saturday, when the defendant was lined in the mitigated penalty of 40s and costs, in all £4 11s. This should warn George that his excitable temperament must be held in check. In addition to the penalty inflicted, the magistrate treated both Denbys, senior and junior, to an exordium, which should be considered of value.

— " G-ander " seems terribly wanting in that essential, pluck. He has boasted right and left about his fleetness for running, and hinted that he was open to try conclusions with sonic of the local peds, but whon met by young Hall both ho and his page were afraid to deposit the shiners. Billy still blows as usual, aud fancies people don't see that his little game is up a tree.

— A select evening party was given by Mr and Mrs Ehrenfried at their large and commodious residence (opposite Sfc. George's Church) last week, partly in honour of the officers of the German warship Habicht, and partly as a farewell to Mr and Mrs Moses, and Mr Phillips, who had been on a visit to quartzopolis. About twenty couples, composed of the local cUte, were present, and dancing was continued until an early hour in the morning.

— The " music " produced by the Linda String Band at the Congregational Church Bazaar last week was almost excruciating : and for their own safety, aud the sake of the community, I should advise the performers to bscome a little more proficient in the use of the bow before they make another appearance in public. People will talk, and it's not nice, you know, to be likened to the German bands which are so well known to persons who have been in the old country.

— Alf. Nernon, the sedate accountant of the Grahamstown branch of the Bank of New South Wales, has at lengtli liad Ms heart's desire gratified. He bas been transferred to the metropolis, after several years' service at the Thames, and Mr Woolcott now reigns in his stead here. A well-known Tararu belle is disconsolate at his departure, and refuses to be comforted.

— Poet Wiseman has been at it again. At the Tararu Church concert on Thursday Richard sang a new local comic song, which excited the risible faculties of the audience, and secured him tremendous applause, and a meed of praise from the press. The song treats of several local topics, and is set to a popular air. I think Mr Wiseman may be induced to repeat it on some future occasion.

— Two of our nautical swells (Capt. B. and Paymaster P.) have, after a considerable lapse of time, collared their cheques due for services rendered as Returning Officers at Ohinemuri, at the late general election. P. says he can't, for the life of him, make out why he had to sign a receipt in duplicate. 8., on the other hand, says he doesn't know or care; he would sign triplicate receipts, provided he got the " rhino."

— The maudlin but mistaken sympathy of some parents for the knaveries of their offspring was exemplified at the hearing of the above case. Colonial youths are proverbially thoughtless and uncouth. Disrespect to their seniors and preceptors, under the "spare the rod " policy, is bxit a natural result. Had the parent in this case enquired into the particulars of his son's conduct at school, he would probably have administered a sound flagellation to his heir, instead of unwarrantably assaulting his music-preceptor. Even supposing that the pedagogue was unduly severe (which was not the case), the parent had means of redress without recourse to a display of pugilistic prowess.

— The despicable conduct of four young men at the Catholic Concert, held in the Academy, deserves exposure. During the absence of the janitor, who was called away for a few moments, those worthies, who had been looking on from the pit at the votaries of Terpsichore tripping it on the light fantastic, leant over the railing and appropriated half-a-dozen of the tickets in the canister, and, on the return of the door : keeper, gained, admission to tJie body of the hall by means of the aforesaid pieces of pasteboard. This coup d'etat, if such it can be termed, was not discovered till some time after, when the young sparks were unceremoniously bundled out of the building, to the amusement of the assemblage and their own annoyance and disgrace.

— Young gentlemen of an amorous tendency should recollect that a balcony in a public thoroughfare is hardly the place on which to caress and fondle gushing damsels. The other evening I was much amused whilst strolling along a certain street, to observe a young man doing an iniinense flirtation on the balcony of the house he resides in, with a prepossessing creature of about eighteen summers. Several other persons beside myself were eye-witnesses of this interesting and diverting spectacle, the happy pair (intoxicated from drinking too deeply of the cup of love) being, of course in blissful ignorance of the fact that the Observer man " had his eye " upon them. Don't do it again, my dears. — Amongst tlie men selected to play against tlie Auckland cricketers at Parawai on St. Patrick's Day (two weeks hence) are Lawless, Law, Rhodes, lEgglinton, Boxall, the two Smiths (Joe and George), Walter Hunter, and Philip "Weston. Several of the old hands, including Steedman, Gellon, and Dave Young, will not take part in the match. Our boys arc going in for a rigorous practice, and trust to be able to make a stand, against the city sloggers ; but I'm afraid the West End (amongst whom will probably be the two Beales, Bindon, Dews, and Percy Dufaur) will prove too much for them. The contest will extend over two days, beginning on the Friday afternoon and ending on the following day. — The annual picnic of the teachers" of the Presbyterian Sunday Schools proved, I am informed, a rather tame affair. The party was a very large one, but there did not appear to be any unanimity amongst the crowd, consequently there was little or no amusement. On the passage up some gay and festive j ouths, possessed of inordinate appetites, very considerately lessened the measurement of the cargo by stowing away in the inner man a large quantity of pastry trifles, and on landing at the Puke, it was also discovered that the hamper containing the prepared meats had been taken on to Paeroa in the steamer, leaving the pleasure-seekers no alternative but to make the noonday meal on pastry and ham sandwiches, which they did with the best grace possible.