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Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 4, 25 September 1878, Page 3

Murderer, Preacher, and Poet.—The Dunedin Age says that “ Sullivan, the murderer, has reformed, and is stated to be engaged oil an evangelical tour in NewSouth Wales. It is not generally known that this notorious ex-criminal is a poet in his way. A Sydney paper t 11s us that at Wagga Wagga lately he had an opportunity of displaying his rhyming abilities at the expense of a brother preacher. The preacher had the misfortune to be bitten in the leg by his horse, whereupon Sullivan celebrated the event with the following lines : The horse bit his master : How it came to pass ? lie heard the good pastor Cry, ‘ All flesh is grass.’ ” Tiie Manufacture of Rubiks.—By far the most valuable of precious stones — far exceeding in value even the diamond —is the true Oriental ruby. We now learn that a method of making artificial rubies has been discovered in France—rubies not merely in imitation of the real stone, but made of the same material, and to all appearances exactly like the precious gem. The similarity between the natural and artificial stone appears indeed complete, as they are both of the same hardness and weight, both crystalise hexagonally, and lose color when heated, and gain it when cooled. As there seems no difficulty in their manufactme, it is probable there will be throw'll into the market a number of artificial rubies at a comparatively moderate charge, and that they will be largely used in ornamental jewelry and art decoration. France and the Berlin Treaty.— Gambetta, speaking of the Treaty of Berlin, said : “In my opinion it may be after nlbthat the Congress of Berlin lias modified, in a very essential w ay, the basis of the understanding of 1873, and I think France has every reason to approve of a change which modified the combination formed apart from her, if not against her. 'Hie change brought about in England’s policy is another consequence of not less importance resulting from the Congress, on wliicli France cannot but congratulate herself. In establishing herself at Cyprus, as an advance guard, and constituting herself protectress of the Asiatic interests of Turkey, England has abandoned that policy which L shall call insular to resume her old policy. 1 cannot but hail this change with gladness. Things have returned to their logical and natural course. The interests of France and England are so closely connected, that the return of England to a less narrow policy rescues the two States at this time from temporary isolation into which they chanced to fall. In consequence of the change brought about by the Congress, the interests of England aud Austria are identical. In the East, the interests of England and France, already somewhat identical, have become more so. I congratulate myself in the name of my ountry on the change which 1 deem very fortunate aud very assuring to every-