"The Battle of the Bondi, or the Merry Maiden and the Mariners,"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4707, 1 May 1894, Page 3

"The Battle of the Bondi, or the Merry Maiden and the Mariners,"

(Contributed.) An amusing story reaohe3 me, concerning two gallant skippers who had command of a couple of the company's finest boats but who now,«lis, jrooL the results of "jealousy tho TJrcwoyed monster" aud the wiles ol n lair enslaver are bemoaning their fate and their foolishness in far different positions to those thby formerly enjoyod. Tho story runs thus:—Two fiue steamers bound from Miioriland arrived in the bountiful waters of Port Jackson at almost the same hour. On • one of them, aa a passenger, was a fascinating actress, well-known in New Zealand. Both skippers were madly devoted to the lad/. Ono of course had .had a good time, us naturally he would liav-, asskipper on the boat on which the fair ono was a passenger, Tho two skippers were great cbums—lnotfiers almost. They mot on the Circular Quay .rapturously Ito seo one another. GrcetWbeen exchanged, quoth Skipper No. 2 was only too delighted, for Miss B—had lavished her smiles on him on another occasion, when Skipper No. 1 was not present. Each thought himself the favoured one. The little party pst out, and after a pleasant dnvo through the lovely suburbs ol Sydney, Bondi was roachod, All went well until after lunch, and then it Btruck Skipper No. 2 that Skipper No. 1 was " piling it on" rather ,! too thickly." As a matter of fact, like tho man who made the hurried descent from tho balloon, he (Skipper No 2) was out of it, Kage and jealousy consumed his soul; his friendship was turned to bitter hate. Ho sat moodily by, until he could contain himself nu louger, so he fiercely turned on his quondam friend, and forthwith offered him battle (with fists) for the possession of the '• ladyc fayro." Skipper No. 1 protested, but it was no use, he must either fight or be branded as a poltroon in the eyes of the lady. Finding persuasions were of no avail, Skipp r No. 1, with «any apologies to the lady, withdrew i$ ]apot adjacent, whither his irato "*lival had already preceded him. Tho lady remained behind and smilingly sipped her champagne. Half nn hour slipped by, then an hour, and finally tin lady becoming impatieut of waiting for the return of the doughty knights, ordered the carriage and left without them. Meanwhile the warriors were hard at it. For nearly two mortal hours they fought round after round. Certainly they did not hit each other very often, but occasionally one of the twain ' got homo,' and then there was a brief armistice. Eventually getting mutually tired of their strife, tbey shook hands and agreed to cull it a drawn battle, Each agreed that boih should try his luck with the lady, and the winner of her affections should hold his victory in peace. With the traces of tho conflict showing strongly on their open countenances, they sought the lady only to find that she had heartlessly departed, and with the carriage too, Itage consumed both

their breasts this time, Onco move they were brothers; but, alas I now in affliction, They anathematised the

heartless one ifi unmeasured language. an awful thought occurred to them. .Ilowto «il back to Sydney ? The steamers were due to sail in ah hour, they could never do the distance in the time, or anything like it. Finally the battered heroes arrived on their respective boats, really lovely objects for the eye to behold, nearly two hours late,' The steamers had, of course, been delayed, and tho (-kippers were beiug looked for high and low, and so when they did arrive they were, of course, the cynosuro of all eyes, and naturally their mottled countenances were the theme of much speculation. Eventually the story leaked out, as stories mil, An enquiry was held, and our two unfortunate skippers were promptly disrated. One accepted the situation and the disration, but the other cut the service in disgust, and has sinco departed for other climes, Tho lady sweetly smiles when she thinks of tho episode, and uo doubt retails the history of the encounter with much gusto. The skipper, who remained on the other band,is singularly reticent when friendly enquirers ask whero is so-and-so gone, and why did ho leave tho he himself now in command of such • a beastly* tub when he was lucky enough to have the splendid intercolonial trader