A ROMANTIC STORY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 433, 10 February 1875, Page 3

A ROMANTIC STORY.

A Leipsic paper publishes the following story ; — About ten months ago a rich patron of sciences and arts in Berlin offered prizes amounting to 340d01s each for the best essays on the history of the middle ages, astronomy, geology, poetry, and metaphysics; and about 385d01s each for the best romance and the best poem. A committee of several members of the several University faculties was appointed to award the prizes, and the awards were made a short time ago. A large number of persons competed, and the work offered had- a large amount of excellent material among it. The names of the writers were enclosed in seas|d envelopes, on the outside of which ffetilious names were inscribed. The prize for the essay on metaphysics was awarded <sto a young man named Max Murkmann, who had sent his essay under the name of " Hans Wildenstein." When Markmanu's name was announced, a pale, poorly-clad, exceedingly wretched-looking young man stepped forward, and was with a hearty round of applause. His hair was thin and already sprinkled with grey, and his whole appearance excited the sympathy of the audience. After receiving the prize he quietly returned te his seat. One after another as the titles of the best essays were announced, the accompanying envelope disclosed Markmann as the author, and the applause grew tumultuous as the young man, looking more weary every time, stepped forward. The excitement amongst the students was so great that a suggestion wonld have caused them to carry him off in triumph. The essays all examined, the poems came next in turn, and the prize was Markmann's. Then the romance prize was found to be his. It was entitled "The Village Schoolmaster," and Bethold Auerbach, who was one of the committee, pronounced it as one of the most gracefully written stories he had ever read. This was the last prize awarded, but hardly had the fortunate competitor risen to go aud receive it when h« fell fainting to the floor. A death-like stillness reigned in the hall, while they carried the poor young man into an adjoining room, where the physicians succeeded in restoring him to consciousness*, bat that was all, for, four hours afterwards he was a corpse. His death was the result of long years .of deprivation. He was literally atarved to death.

"' A; .good deal of attention," says the " Guardian," " has lately been attracted to, and amusement caused by, what we may fairly term a literary mouse, who is nightly to be seen plying his vocation in the shop window of Mr. Carrick the bookseller, of Princesstreet. Like most other show windows of the town, at this season of the year, the window of Mr. Carrick swarms with flies, and about seven o'clock, when they have concluded the labours of the day, and arer settling down upon the books in coteries of fours and fives to discuss the fate of the nation, or, may be, to indulge in a little quiet gossip or harmless flirtation, in which thpy are no worse than their gigantic biped neighbours, out comes Mrs Mouse from her hole to provide for the festivities of the evening. Viands have to be provided for a large — but small and tender — family ; and the way she sets to work to catch the flies is worthy the study of a Buffon. She does not rush bodily upon her unsuspecting victims, who, as is well known to lovers of natural history, sleep with their ey«s wide open, but she gradually " sneaks " up to •within a few inches of them, when she suddenly makes a spring and pounces down upon them. She usually succeeds in " fixing" at least a couple, which find themselves impaled upon her claws. She then bites them in the head, puts them together, and follows up her game until she has quite a funeral pile. By this time, it being past the gloaming, she gives up her work, and carries her spoils, one at a time, to her secret cavern below the window, where her young ones are anxiously expecting her, and where no doubt all together partake of their savory repast. But not a bite doeß the elder mouse take until every trace of a dead fly has been removed to her hole. Instead of interfering with her sport Mr. Carrick encourages it, and it forms a highly-diverting scene to himself and others to watch the actions of the mouse in question. But should the family of little ones grow up, and, in their turn, take to this literary chase, we have no doubt the proprietor of the establishment will shortly find it necessary to introduce a colony of cats to put down what will probably otherwise become a nuisance. An amusing occurrence is reported to have taken place lately at a civic entertainment held in a borough not far from Liverpool. A gushing Councillor proposed the toast of "His Worship the Mayor and his family, and especially the baby." This led to an Aldermsnf noted for, his talkativeness, to enquire of the Mayor whom the baby was like. The Mayor replied, " It is like yourself." The lions of the English cricket field have been coming out strongly with the " willow " during the past year. The London "Bell's Life" has, of late, been bristling with cricket statistics, and from that paper we glean the following particulars with reference to scores of 200 and over : — For Northwood* Freshwater, E. W. Collins, 338, not out ; for Clifton v. Thornbury, W. G. Grace, 259 ; for Thornbury v. Sneyd-park, W. R. Gilbert, 254, not out ; for I Zingari v. , Captain Kington, 253, not out ; in an Oxford match. W. H. Game, 234,' not out ; in a 95th Regiment match, R. O. Cotton, 225 ; in a Cheshire match, V. Royle, 205 ; in a St. Alban's match, T. Pearce, 200, not out." The above may prove of some interest to our local "knights of the willow."

lloiXowas's Pills— ln the complaints peculiar to females these Pills are unrivalled. Their use by the fair »ex has become so universal for the removal of their ailments that few toilets are without them. Amongst all classes, from the domestic servant to the peeress,, distinguished favour is accorded to these renovating Pills ; their invigorating and purifying properties render them safe and invaluable in all cases ; they may be - taken by females of all ages for any disorganisation or irregularity of the Bjsteau