MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 435, 17 April 1875, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Many despise poplar as a timber but it ha* one golden quality— it will not burn. Some years ago a factory at Nottingham took fire on the second floor, and burnt out to the top furiously, but not downwards ; although the floors lay a yard thick with hot clinkers and melted machinery, yet it did not get downwards, because the floors were of poplar. The women of Guanjagito, Mexico, in their protest against the new law abolishing convents, say : "We promise not to recognise, as father, brothers or husband anybody who, directly or indirectly, took part in the action ot Congress expelling the Sister, of Charity." ' > C The tactics of a Jeremy Diddler, who failed^pay for his board, lodging, and washing*, have been Huiutely recorded by a fellow-lodger. A few montl^ ago a young man advertised for apartments in a healthy locality, within 10 minutes' walk of tbe Post-office, and in less than two days, as he himself stated, received nearly twenty times as many replies. Having chosen his future abode, he introduced himself to the other occupants of the house as a stranger in Dunedin, who received monthly remittances, but was anxious to secure a situation. For some time his landlady and laundress were regularly paid, but four or five weeks ago he became less punctual in this respect. X Hints were delicately but unavailingly thrown^ut. Applications direct, and applications accDmpanied by threats of ejectment, were as usileissly made. The young man said he was compelled 'to act on the principle, no remittance no pay. One morning he did nob appear at the breakfast-table. At noon his bedroom was searched in vain ; not even a handerchief was left behind. Nothing was heard of him until Saturday last, when the lady who had official^ as his laundress saw him pass her door with a fair friend walking languidly at his side. The victimised washerwoman — a robust muscular person—confronted her debtor and demanded payment, flfe latter declared that he had settled with his landlady ; but this explanation did not satisfy the laundress, who, unable to get her money,, treated the unfortunate pair to a biuketfnl of soap-suds and unlimited abuse. The young man then talked big about legal proceedings, but those who profess to know the circumstances of the case say he is not likely to plunge into litigation. The " Providence Journal " refers to the careless facility with which clergymen often perform the marriage ceremony, for any man who comes with a woman on his arm and a fee in his hand, and thinks it was a mistake to repeal the old law which required the publication of the banns of marriage. An exception to the custom to which he alludes is the following :—": — " This matter is brought to our notice by the very proper conduct of a clergyman in this city, who was waited upon last week by two candidates for matrimonial felicity, and in the course of the inquiries which he deemed it proper to make of them he readily discovered that the man was decidedly under the influence of strong liquor ; and he told him that he would not marry him. « Why not ? stammered the expectant bridegroom. " Because you are drunk ; come here sober and I will decide whether I will marry you or not ; but in your present state you are not fit to enter into so solemn an engagement/ The man refused to leave till the ceremony was performed ; but he found that the minister belonged to the church militant, and he made an hasty retreat with a boot close behind him. Doubtless he found somebody to marry him.