NOTICEABLE THINGS.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 7, 16 January 1906, Page 2

NOTICEABLE THINGS.

—o—[By Gobo ] Casey played a sterling forward game against Ireland. Before he left New Zealand his father, who. it is perhaps somewhat unnecessary to state is of Hibernian extraction, is reported to have said, “ Sam, me bhoy,ye need not be afier troubling to come home if yez don’t whip the Old Country.” In different parts of the colony people are agitating for branch railway lines. A few of those already constructed don’t seem to pay' for axle grease, let alone greasers ! One day recently two excursion trains left a Wairarapa town which boasts a 4-rnile branch line. One train carried four passengers ; the'other a man, a dog, and a bike ! Some lines do pay well indeed, For others there is little need ; Some lines won’t pay when done — Should be sent to kingdom come I The Waipuk. railway station is a. curious mixture of deadliness and liveliness. The other day I was on the platform some time before the “ speshul ” was due. The boss of the stay shun and one or two of his men were also visible, but no other living soul. In hot weather townspeople don’t put in an appearance much before time, because the seating accommodation and shelter are very meagre ; besides none wish to take the risk of bumping against the big notice about loitering on the platform—a rule evidently framed as a warning to drunks—-or being run over by a trolly. Presently the express slides up in a terrific hurry and generally misses the mark by many yards ; then there is a great crowd and bustle and scurry for 4f minutes, and everybody is tumbling over one another. Those who seek refreshments have to bolt them down and then bolt for their seats. If the express be a little late, the bolts must be the more swifter, to make up. Many people think a reasonable time ought- to be allowed for refreshments.

As was to be supposed, the splendid physique, perfect symmetry and handsomeness of the Maoriland footballers quite “ fetched ” the English beauties. [lheardaWaipuk.. girl who was looking at the photo group exclaim, “ What a villainous - looking lot!”] Often proposals of marriage were sent after each game. One of the threequarters, who was erroneously reported to have scored a brilliant try on one occasion, was requested next day by letter, to hand on ilieproposal sent to him to an agile five-eights. “ Since writing,” ran the letter, “ I have discovered that it was really he who scored, the insertion of your name being due to a printer’s error. In these circumstances, I can be nothing more than a sister to you.” A traveller complains that the ’bus sytem at the Waipuk railway station is rather erratic. Often when there are no passengers, plenty of cabs are visible, while noneat all meet some of the trains, ’Tis only -what I’ve told, you know ; Don’t know whether it’s true, But just as it’s told to me I now tells the Jehu!. Capturing honey from a beehive is an unenviable job under th© most favourable circumstances, but when one undertakes to do it on top of a church,, where there is no room to run away and language must be circumspect, the task is next to awful. But such an undertaking was successfully accomplished here the other day by two young men. A large quantity of honey was got from the belfry as sound as a bell,, and those interested went “ wax.” Now let me ring, on this : How doth the little busy bee Delight to store up high, Where it thinks none will see — In a belfry in the sky ! What pains they took to find a spot When all were about to sing, And didn’t seem to catena jot How they used their sting !

A. hare-breath escape! The' other morning a mild sensation was : caused in a well-known resident’s house by the news conveyed by a small boy that a hare was in the adjoining paddock. Three local sports went in pursuit, but on reaching the precints of the hare a shot fired by one had the effect of causing the hare to walk quietly inwards him, and afterrunning the gauntlet within twenty of the entire party the hare departed “without the loss of a feather.” Mary had some Christmas lamb, ’Twas nice, beyond all question ; Foolish Mary took some more— That gave her indigestion !