M. Max O'Rell's Letter Box.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3336, 16 October 1889, Page 2

M. Max O'Rell's Letter Box.

Tlio most amusing part of Mar O'Eell's latest book is tho appendix of letters which the author has received from unknown correspondents, " Sir,—lt is wonderful," writes "A True Christian," "that you remain in England to write' a|| abuso her peoplo just to please tmb French and HI! jour pockets. I bat« read your' John Bui! mid his It is a pack of lies from beginning to end, Joanna Southcott was a true prophetess, and no other than i he woman of the desert spoken of by St John in the' Book of Revelations.' Most of her prophecios huvo been fulfilled already, ami no doubt tho rest will ho fulfilled m God'B good time, Bewaro of bringing down the anger of the Almighty on tho sins of ' jeering and lying. Best assured that you will cut but a very poor figure on the day of her resurrection." One day the author found in his Jotter box an epistle, the envelope of which was addressed to " John Bull, Esqr, Comhill, London, E.C." A post office wag had written on the back in blue pencil: "Not known. Try Max O'Eell," An anonymous wit (add* Max O'Uell) supplied the following to my collection:—" You say that Englishmen have not the bump of amativencss, and that you never ijfcy them pay to their wives thoie attentions that are known in France by the name of' roarivaadage' and in, England by that of'spooning.' But 1 my dear sir, doos it not strike that perhaps thoso provoking waited until you had left their boused '• to proceed to business"- "This one has me, I will readily admit." M. O'Eell is sometimes in luck, as -when a|young lady writes to him in this strain: " Several young Irionds and myself have been speculating as to what you are like-wketber you aro young or old, plain or gjod looking, tall or short, married or single. Wo scarcoly dare hope that you will satisfy our curiosity by replying to this letter; but if you huve a photo, graph of yourself to spare, it would Bettla our minds greatly." Other ladies, move bold, send their loye—two qr three evon send kisses; but, alas! by post, A Bi£tamous Insolvent. ,

Tho petition for tbo nulhficatioiffll the marriage of Julia Morand and '•'William Jenkins Oliver" was presented lo Mr Justice Holroydm Chambers at Melbourne. .William Jenkins, sawmill proprietor and grazier, of %wour, ■ was. made insolvent a ftw months ago. In the course tf Ws. examination in the Inaolywy Court it appeared that he had in March last realised his property at Seymour and gene to Freemantle, West Australia, with a young woman whom hesaid lie had 'sfe wot at a theatre in Melbourne, and who had agreed after a fow days' acijuainlimco to accompany him oq

f ~—, —=--■- the trip. Insolvent was ptesseil as to what had bpcouio of tho money belonging to tho creditors which ho had. taken with him, and stated he had lost i, 580 overboard while ho was sea sick. Ho had a wife and six children, whom ho loft behind at Clifton Hill. Mrs Jenkins followed him to Froeinantle, and came back by the steamer Albany to Victoria with him and tho young woman, whom ho spoke of as "Miss Morgan." k Ho added that ho had since lost all ™ traco of tho latter's whereabouts. He admitted having travelled under a false name, but rofused to discloso it to tho court, and was committed by Judge Molesworth for contempt. After spending a week in gaol he informed his Honor that he and '• Miss Morgan" haArimvelled under the names of "Mr and Mrs Oliver." Tho insolvent has since disappeared. The petition of Miss Morand discloses the fact that Jenkins went through the form of marriago with hor at St. Francis's Church, Mel- • \ bourne, on tho oth March, 1889, ir under tiio name of" William Jenkins Oliver." He represented himself to bo a bachelor, and his occupation that of a grazior. Petitioner, a native of Gisborne, was 23 years of ago, and a dressmaker. Respondent was 3G years, and had been born in Gloucestershire, England. After living at Molboumo a couple of weeks thoy proceeded to Freemantlo as respondent inform her he had business there. He booked their L return passages, and she llicn learnt by a letter from lier sister, who is Lconsee of the M'lvor Hotel, Maryborough, that Jenkins had a wife living. Ecspondent induced her to beliovo such was not the fact, but whilst subsequently living with her sister, she read the account of the insolvent's examination in the Ago of the 2nd July. Cohabitation then ceased. She had since discovered that respondent was married to Mary Morrish at Carlton on the 2nd September, 1874, according to the rites of tho Wesloyan Church. Petitioner, who is encicntc, now seeks to obtain a declaration by the ] Supremo Court that her marriago » with Jenkins was null and void. It * is stated that respondent gave £SOO to Miss Morand. and that she invested it in hor sister's hotel. Both ladies are to be examined on the subject next week. An Ocean Race. jk Great interest was felt in New York (says ■Jr-tito correspondent of the Daily News) as lo tho result of the ocean race between the ; City of New York and the Tuetanic, which was decided recently, when the City of New York passed Sandy Ilook, her rival following 33min later, Both were far from beating the best record of the City of Paris, whicii is 5d 23h 3rain. The time of the City of Now York was Cd llh, and that of the Teutonic Cd llh 33min; but the distance I run by the City of New York was ten miles longer than that of her rival, It must not be forgotten, however, that the Teutonic : was making her maiden voyage, and aim mado the fastest first trip, while tho City of New York has often crossed the ocean. | Tho weather was not altogether favorable for cither vessel. The Teutonic passed , through a heavy sea the first three days, , the fourth was misty, and speed had to be reduced for seventeen hours, whilst for tho remainder of the voyage a fresh breeze was experienced and the weather was pleasant, The City of Now York went through about the same kind of weather, and on the 13th was obliged to use only one engine because tho bearings of the other had become ' heated. The daily ruus of tho two vessels 1 ]M ' were as follows:—Teutonic, !lth, 394 knots; I 1 10th, -101; 11th, '130; 12th, '131; IStli, i 4-10; 14th, 45-1; 16th. 220, making a total ( 2,780. Tho City of Now York's run were: ( On the9th, 408 knots; 10th, 440; 11th, c »'m ; 12th, 421; 13th, 401; 11th, 405; 15th, , 197; making a total of 2,700. "We did not push the steamer at all," said Captain g Parscll of tho Teutonic, " nud the time : made for a new ship on her first voyage was, I consider, very good." A Great Racehorse, •!

Tho performances of Mr James White's horso Abercorn at the spring meeting of the Australian Jockey Club have been the admiration of raoin? men, and tho opinion ha 3 been freely expressed that the son ol Chester and Cinnamon has shown himself to bo the best horso over owned by Mr White. This is saying a good deal, but the winnings of the horse (says tho' Argus') Bhow that not only havo his successes been greater than those of any other horse that over occupied a box in tho Kirkhom stable, but that they have also tan equal if not superior to those of any that overran in Australia. In point of the value of stakes won by Abercorn is certainly ahead of any other horse that over ran in Australia. He has won eighteen races, and has run one dead heat; and his total winnings up to date oro 11,455 sovs. It cannot be claimed that Abercorn has been a particularly lucky horse, for he had at two great meetings—the V.R.C, ar.lumn and A.J.C. autumn (jatherings-to meet such performers as VlLochiel ami Carbine, Ho ran second to tjr Carbine in the V.li.C. Champion Stakes, Tjf, third toOarbino and Mclos in the Sydney \ ■ Cup, third to Carbiuc and Lochiol in the Cumberland Plate, and second to Carbine in the Australian Jockey Club Plate Trident, who was ono of Mr James \/hitc's Jicst horses, won fifteen races, of a total value of £8,741. Jlalua won stakes to the value of £8,670, while Commotion's total was £7,700. It is to remembered that Abercorn is still in training and is likely to win a few moro races before he retires from the turf. He will probably take part in the V.K.C. spring meeting, though it is hardly likely that he will be started in the Mclbourno Cup—because, through there being no maximum impost to be carried in tho race, Aberoorn's weight is now lOst 101b, he having incurred a Mlb penalty through winning the Metropolitan Stakes in Sydney, The following is tho value of Abcrcorn'swinuings:— At 2 yrs. fl races, value .. £3,130 At 3 yrs, 0 races, value .. 1,179 At i yrs, •! races, value .. 1,290 At 5 yrs, 4 races, value ~ 2,510 £11,115 "Ono of these races was a dead heat. Tho submarine cablo fleet of tho world •numbers somo thirty-sir. vessels, with J%\n aggregate tjross tonnaso of 53,802. According to the Board of Trado re trims, the skilled labour market is in a remarkably prosperous condition. The| Canadian -Government has grantedColoncl Hamilton permission to orcctelectricgeneratingmachmory under 1 tho Horseshoe fall, / i-