TE AWAMUTU GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1986, 31 March 1885, Page 3

TE AWAMUTU GOSSIP.

Nothing to wiitc about. No new topics of sulhcusntgeneial importance toin.ikenimbh plying Imgeis i>eck .it typi 1 with electnc like dextenty. Hut theie, 111 lattle mi ;ind leave it to chance to make this It ttei one ti> be sneeied at as lot, <>i icet ne<l s\ 1 1 1 1 the instructive amusement it is wntt. n to give. The exclusion trip to Auckland must have ni.ide ,mv lailway tatiff lefonnei nib his hands togethoi, .vnd then gleefully poke his neaie*t neighbour m the -hmt nbs, who, 1 daresay, would acknowledge the playful thiust with a jerky bow, and immeious thanks that could only be ln-tily lolled up and delivered in .1 woful Oh ! Atea-p-uty, in aid of the I'iesby ten.vi Church, held m the liall l,)-t week, wh well patronised. Aitistic taste was bountifully displaced in the decoiatmg of the jilace. A huge led, white and blue lunnei, with the vvoids "To M.iiaeohme" «n the white of it, fomied a handsome background to the lined platfoim at the end of the h.ill. There aie no cla-s distinctions iboiit this banner. It attend-, lull-, meetings, te.i- parties, awkward squad dulls, 1 inking q itheiuips, mul placidly smiles on all. Let the M.uni scholar translate its in-cnption, and it will be found to fit in appiopiuvtely with everything. I cannot bo expected to give lessons in classics for nothing. The low - of tables did'nt gioan, or even cieak, but bi.uely sustained the loads of good things they bora, well knowing that a hungiy public would soon arrive, each nidi \idual of it under a contract to quickly lighten them of two shillings' woith, or inoie if they could get it. The public s.itnf ictouly prifoiiiied their pait <>f the pei foi m mcc. Delicious music and song-! \\ei.> deliciou-ly rendered, and deliriously enjoyed by the jieople. Somebody aired hi- clo iiience by lecturing to me about the bid aoiistic propei tie* of the h.ill, but, not being an airhitett or musical entliu-iast, 1 yawned, and acoustic eloquence expired with a sigh. Speeches, *hort-winded, long-w hided, giave, g.i^ , .uietdot.d, andpioMj were dcliv ered in every variety of elocution. Some of them weie as broad a.s the Grampians, others, as " lulih " as the melodies that mingle with the pin lings of " Afnc's Hunny fountains," when her daughters assemble at them for ablutions and go-sip. I must not be deemed imnerent for writing lightly on the 'iibject, for m im opinion nothing of a siLied eh ir.icter cm be attached to a 1>uI)1il tea meeting in a- public hall, unless one i \cepts the graces and benediction. AV.uit of Mittieient funds, I am sorry to sa>, is a universal malady hard of cuie, but when a. church pleadingly appeils foi Miccoiii, it b 'comes the duty of every Chustianto assist. Oh! Te Awamutu ! here is an opportunity for self-abasement, nn<l the gloiifymsj reaction of liberalty. Clotho yourselves, m .sack cloth, collect iveiy tlnee-|)enny bit in the distiict, and scittei them in the ashes until they aie lost, stunly controlling the yearning dosue you ;ne sure to feel to try and find tliun ag.iin. The expiation will lie economical too. for possessing the allies, you need onlj s|)ecul,i,te in sack-cloth. I lein^mbei lie.uing .in anecdote ,ibout a bishop win pieiched one Sunday to a congregation noted for their par-umonv. Aftei the seimoii, which was on the woul " give," for want of a plate hi-> Loidship's hat was sent ai Mind. It was solemnly canied, .uid ]>oked under the nose of each poison present, and having gone the round of the chinch, it was handed up to the bishop, \\ ho still remained in the pulpit. He stood up, looked in the hat, lifted it up, shook it, turned it upside down, turned out the lining', tapped it on the crown, shook it agim violently, but there wo-s not even an eyoless button in it. Then laising the hat with both hands, and holding it at arm's length, he looked up at the shingles, and m a solemn voice said, "Thankful am I that this congiegition hath returned me niv hit'"e\ei alter the libeiahty of that congregation was oppicssne. BIUA.