AROUND DUNEDIN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5180, 13 November 1895, Page 3

AROUND DUNEDIN.

o [by scotch mist.] W Never before in the history of Diniedin has a lecturer been received with so much enthusiasm us was Mark Twain (Mr Samuel Clemens) 1 on Wednesday evening in the City Hull. Precisely aIS p.m. he stepped on to the stage amidst deafening applause, which lasted some minutes, Mark Twain the while bowing i repeatedly to all parts of the house. As soon as he could make himself 1 heard, he briefly tluinketl theaiulience ] for the warm welcome extended to ' him. Ho is a very striking and ' picturesque looking man, about medium height and size, his beautiful silver grey hair (of which he lms quite a quantity) , falling in thick masses around his ; ears and neck. His eyes are very keen and sunk rather far hack in his head, and such a world of merriment ( in them! They twinkle with mischief and fun all the time he speaks. ] He was greeted as an old friend, and ( assuch wasat home with his audience • jtft once. He told us many personal , «. distances of his life and how he came to write some of his stones as "Bulgy,"" Dan'l Webster," "Hueklebury Finn," etc., etc. It was really delightful to hear Mark Twain : interpret himself, and for the whole two hours he spoke there was a con- ' tinual ripple of laughter and shouts of merriment, the only serious person ! in the bouse being Mark Twain himself. Hundreds were unable to : gain admittance, standing room even 1 not being available in any part of 1 the house, ami considering the prices 1 were rather high (the lowest being 2s in the pit), the management nmy be congratulated on their success. Mark Twain, who is accompanied by his wife and second daughter, gives 1 three "At Homes" here, then goes on to Oamaru and T'imaru. You Masterton folks should certainly make an effort to get this prince of humourists to give one" At Home" in your town, For his merciless exposure of humbug, this bright and wholesome humourist, whose Bjiecial attribute it is to say smart things without offenco and to bring to i.tn' overyday humdrum lives, the relief of a tonic which leaves no distressing after effects, is unequalled. The Presbyterian and Anglican Synods are both sitting this week, and the town is full of parsons, The Presbyterian ones nttended Murk Twain's first "At Home" en mm. A monster bazaar is being hold to clear the debt of £loOexisting on the Rev. Mr Dame's Church. The sister churches have each provided a stall, so that every Presbyterian Church is drawn into the "bazaar and the sale promises to be a huge success. Neither rallies nor lotteries are carried on, business being gone through exactly as though it wero a shop, Miss Frances Ross' Dramatic Company opened in the Princess Theatre on Wednesday night for a short season. The Otago Art Society is to be opened to-day. One of tho principal exhibits is a striking oil painting by J. J. Shannon, an English portrait artist of repute. Wellington exhibitors include tho names of Miss Mabel llill, Miss Richardson, Mr J, .■fflbillie, Mr J. M. Nairn. Colouoi "ranfell, is an exhibitor I believe, but of these anon. The committees of both Mayor Fish and would-be-Mayor Wales m each working energetically, and as is usual soino very sultry correspondence is adorning our local papers. 1 was very pleased to hear that you had one lady cyclist in your midst. If alio will only lend hor machine to some ol the young ladies anil they learn lo ride, it won't be necessary for the pater (o buy a cycle at all for his daughter as nearly all tho ladies here hire them by the month or quarter as the case may be, so when they are tired of them they can sond them back to tho shop. With such glorious roads as there are about Masterton I can't think why you have not a Ladies Cycling Club. Hibernian citizens are preparing to giro Orator Michael JDavitt a tremendous reception on his arrival Lui Dunedin. Tho " sure and bo P*d "gentry have wisely dismissed tile circus idea of brass band, and flaring torches, but tho welcome will be all the better for the omission of these orthodox reception auxiliaries, Michael Davitt will be easily recognised, as ho has lost an arm, Laving met with an accident in a cotton mill iu Lancashire when a boy, Ho lins arrived at the Bluff, and tho Irish are having quite a field day there I beliovo,