MAIL ITEMS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2100, 22 December 1885, Page 4

MAIL ITEMS.

Time waits for no man. The tied is bound to wait. Tiik sale of distilled spirits in Ameiica last jear amounted to 03,000,000 gallons. Moil VMMErns citi/ens of London are making arrange me its to build a mosque in that city. Mk Howard Ciurnis, of Dublin, lias just received a contiact fiom tlie Admiralty to erect what will be the laigest telescope in the wmld. a 28m. di.iinctcr refractor for the Koydl Observatory at Greenwich. A Gam mar's Joke. — Most of i"< are familiar with the stereotyped anecdote >>f the ganiblers who pUy poker. The ■harpi r generally deals his s ictim a hand sufficiently large to make him confident, and then fleeces him with the aid of a band just a point or to larger. Here is a. story, ho\ve\er, which exhibits a refreshing oiiginahty. Of course it is an American paper which tells it:— Not many Sundays ago two owners of small ranches in the lower part of the conntiy met in a saloon and sat down to a fiiendly g.nnu of poker. A spoiling man, who happened to be present, soon took a hand, and after a few turns ho dealt eat h of the others what they h.id ictson to belie\cwere top hands, wlulo lie him ■elf passed out and left them to liet. They bet all they had in sight ; they dug all up they could find, but wcie not satisfied. Finally they paced thtir hands in sealed envelopes and went out to borrow. After hypothecating tin ir home-steads they returned and each put up hi* pile. When it came to the " t-how down" each had four aces and a king. In the meantime the sporting man had mustered the entire community to witnew the fall of the curtain. ('ONDKMNKIJ TO Ba^K USES. — The C/.1l Alexander ll. 's famous yacht, the Liv id ia, turned up not long ago ns a coal hulk in the harbour of Seb.ntopo! Thia is an ignominious ending fora craft which was expected to revolutionise inaiinc architecture, and which was certinly one of the most gorgeous vessels ever built. No such vessel had bepn seen since Noah navigated the Eastern waters; her hull was hidden in a projecting basement which supported a row of pilbars ; she harl four tiers of decks pawtl with block, white, and red marble ; there was a magmtii'cnt fountain ; the baths weie hewn fiom white marble blocks; lows of electric lights illumated the saloons and avenue-like corridors, and the many sets of apartments were finished in rare woods and stones, and furnished with costly trappings and ornamented with Oriental splendour. Altogether the Livadia was more like a fairy palace than a modern yacht, and it is not strange that the impression went nbioad that one purpose of her creation was to dazzle the Asiatic mind and increase the awe and mystery with which it regarded the Czar. Yes ! It is certainly true. Ask any of your friends who have purchased there. Gnrlick and Cranwell have numerous unasked for and very favourable commendations from country customers *n their excellent packing of Furniturr, Crockery, and Gl.ns, *c. Ladi<** any ijontl^mon about to furnish should remember that Garlirlc and Cranwell's is thf Cheap Furnishing Warehouse o Auckland. Furniture to suit all classes ; al<o Carpcn, Flrir Clnfru and all Hmw Nerr*sann. If your new houie is nenr l y finisliod, nt, you .ire tfoingr to get married, visit Oirluk <in<J Cr^nwell, Queen-street and Loriie-strcot, Auckland. Intending purchasers can have a c aUlogue fa (re*.