MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 299, 11 April 1874, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

A London correspondent gives an amusing history of an adventure. A lady took her joungster to a doctor for vaccination, and sat down in the ante-room. Presently there entered another lady with a baby, and friendly conversation ensued. At length the new comer asked the first to hold the baby for a moment, while she went into the air, as the idea of hiving hor baby vaccinated, made her feel faint. The lndy took the baby but the si ranger returned not, and at length the lady was reminded by the doctor's servant that she muit go. In rain she protested that she had a baby too many, she was told that she could not stay there, and was obliged to take her second little charge with her. It now became necessary to think of how to dispose of the unwelcome little stranger. The workhouse wai tried, but the authorities refused to take it in, until inquiries could be made. At length chance and a silly student relieved the good people of their trouble. The child was tent out in euro of a servant who, walking in the vicinity of Gray's Inn Gardons, accosted by two law studenti. Would she let them hold the baby ? — they jokingly asked. The cunning servant girl coyly refused. But they would hold the baby, and at last she consented. Then the student who had obtained the precious charge demanded a kiss before he would surrender it. ' Then you may keep it,' laughingly shouted the girl, and with a quick run she rushed round a corner, and was lost to the view of the astonished student, while she ran homo with the joyful intelligence that she had got rid of the extra buby. What the student has done with his baby charge is not stated ; but the facts of this case appear to be well known to all the barristers of tho Inn, as well as those of tho Middle Temple. The following is a very good representative case of how revolts are got up in Spun ■. — The other day the volunteers of the little manufacturing town of Sam, some few miles south of Barcelona, refused to give up their arms, and broke out into open revolt. The hneute began in the following very Spanish man nor. The garrison of Sans consisted of one company of the regiment of Tarifa, which was quartered in tho church. While the volunteers were haranguing, and being hnrnngned into a determination not to deliver up their arms, the captain of this force, who had gone further from his men than was quite prudent, was met by one of th-; volunteers, who, whether from private spite or sheer savagery, shot him with a revolver, having come up to him with his weapon concealed, and not firing it until he could put tho muzzle against his victim's body. Upon this the fight began. The volunteer*! occupied the houses round the church, and opened fire from the windows and roofs upon the soldiers, who had meanwhile shut themselves up within the sacred building, after sending a messenger to the Captain-G-eneral to beg aid. The moment the news arrived Colonel Marcos Vidal was sent off to their aid, with a force composed of four companies of the regiment of Bailen, two of that of Toledo, and two troops of the hussars of Tetuam. On tho road ho learnt that the church had been set on fire, and that the soldiers withm it were very hard pressed. Hereupon tho men were ordered to advance at a run,' and tho cavalry, hesdod by the colonel himself, went forward at full gallop, arriving just in timo to save their comrades. The streets were soon sw ept of the rioters, and as soon as the infantry came up, the houses in which the Bads had fortified themselves were atormed, and before night, order was restored. The loss of the troops — indeed of both parties — wa* but small, and, as ii usual id all Spanish civil battle*', bore no proportion to the noise made and the powder expended. '"What is the difference between jou and my old doll?" asked a httle girl of her sister's snobbish beau. "Aw— weally, my little deah, I can't say— aw." " Well, you have an eye-glass, and my old doll has a glats eye," said the triumphtnt urehiu.

It is clear New Zealand nuans to be a great country. The ships which have already sailed for the several proviacial ports during the live weeks are the William Davie, for Ofcago, with 294 a jula ; City of G-lasgow (from Glasgow) for Canterbury, 25 ) j Dorethe, Auckland. Xl 5 ; Wennington, ior Wellington, 221 ; Apellts, for Canterbury, 301 ; Goldeu Sea, for Wellington, 367 ; Asm, for Otago, (from London and Queeuatown), 320; Veruna, for Canterbury (from Glasgow), about 300 : Schiehalhon, for Hawke's B*y, •bout 200 ; aud the scretr steamer Atrat >, with over 700. Eighteen other emigrant ships are laid on to follow during thia and the next month. The Atrato was ready to start on February 5, the day tixed, but a dense fog prevailing on the sth and the 6th, she was unable to quit the docks uutil February 7, when this noble steamship steamed down tha river, adjusted her compasses at Greonhithe, and finally set fail for New Zealand on February 10. Great interest is attached to this majestic ship, as she carries nearly 1000 souls all told, and is expected to make a short run. This vessel will offer shippers an opportunity of sending back a cargo of vrool, and, lam told, it is not unlikely — if sufficient inducement offers at Canterbury — that she may be " laid on" as a regular trader to that port. The Ballochmyle is another fine ship also for Canterbury, and she will leave Plymouth about February 28. A select and large body of Oxfordshire f win labourers, about 200 in auuiber, with their wives and children, have been procured for this 3hip, which, with other emigrants, will make up her compliment to almost 400. Tais vessel is quite new, and is chartered bv the New Zealand Shipping Company. Mr Leggett, the secretary of the National 'and Oxford Labourers' Union, goes out in charge of the 200 Oxfordshire emigrants. He is assisted by the Agent-General, and intends to settle iv Canterbury. A few days ago a lar^e meeting of labourers took place at Islip, which was addressed by Mr C. R. Carter, Mr Reid, aud Mr Leggett. The result was that a large number of applications were made by the farm labourers present for passages especially to go out in the same ship as Mr Leggett. Since then lam informed that the Urge agricultural village of Islip, mostly inhabited \>y faiui labourers, has had its population still further thinned by other* of the rural class who have decided to go out in the Ballochmyle. Never before have our colonies had such a pick of agricultural laboureis. No doubt good prospects await them, for it would be unwise to send for them if the New Zealand authorities weie not assured that they had the means of well and fully employing this large accesion of labour. — Anglo- Australian. An inquiring sort of man has been looking into the building of tho new water tunnel in Chicago. He found at each of the three shafts fire city inspectors superintending the work of seven workmen. The 15 inspectors were drawing an aggregate of 90dols a day, and the workmen 42d015.