AUCKLAND BEAUX.
Observer, Rōrahi 2, Putanga 48, 13 Hereturikōkā 1881, Page 551
Mō tēnei niupepa
AUCKLAND BEAUX.
No. 3.— Edmund J. R. Hopkins. YOU all know K. He is an awfully jolly young fellow, but gets drunk occasionally," and when he's tight he says the rummiest things. The other night this man and myself were standing at the bar of the Club when Hopkins strolled in and in his " lardy-dardiest " tone asked for a glass of creme de cacao ala vanille. "Do you know," quoth X, who had had as much sherry and curacoa (ye gods ! what a drink) as was good for him, I would give a 'pony' to have that confounded drawl of Hopkins'." " Gracious goodness, why?" I asked astonished. "Well, you see," X replied, "it shows blood. Somehow or another only your true British swell can drawl naturally. If I were to try it on people would consider me dam' foolish. Oh ! you may grin, but I know what I'm saying." Thinking of this conversation afterwards I came to the conclusion that there was a good deal of truth in X's statement. We make fun of these English swells, laugh at their drawl, ridicule their eye - glasses, and pooh-pooh their blue Wood ; but all the same we envy them. There is something which yon can't (so to speak) "rub out" in a well-bred young Englishman, brought up at a great public school and accustomed to mix in good society. I yield to no one in my admiration of our youthful fellow colonists, and I fully recognise their convivial boon companionship. It must, however, be admitted that Their manners have not that repose Which stamps the caste of Verc de Vere,
and that in lune cases out of ten they look painfully uncomfortable in a "swallow-tail." Edmund John Robert Hopkins, the son and heir of B. J. Hopkins, Esq., M.A., J.P. of Tidmarsh Manor in the County of Berks has, if blue blood and a long family tree go for anything, every right to consider himself one of the upper ten thousand. His father is the owner of two fine estates in one of England's fairest counties, and on his mother's side he is related to the Peerage through the Elibank family. Mr Hopkins is a moderately tall and rather handsome man with curly hair, a pleasant face and an agreeable though slightly supercilious manner. With intimates he is immensely popular, being good-natured, goodtempered and generous to a fault. He also possesses that innate gentle breeding and consideration for the feelings of others which is so conspicuously absent in our young colonials. Most men here blurt out what they've got to say in the rough without "caring a curse" for their hearers. Hopkins, when he has any disagreeable remarks to make, considers how he can put them most politely. I have noticed this several times, and so have others. Young Hopkins, like his late Jidus achates Cole (familiarly known as "Scuttle ") has hitherto been more ornamental than useful. True he can play a fair game at lawn tennis and is a first-rate shot, but as a farmer he was not a success ; indeed his work at Capt. Rye's was mostly "sport" of one kind or another. If, however, wo have to thank Hopkins for nothing else we should be obliged to him for teaching-some of us benighted young "Cornstalks" how to dress. Cole overdressed;
but Hopkins's toilettes though as a fashionplate would say "both rich and varied, " a are quiet, suitable, and in good taste. To -write a notice about Hopkins without referring to Ada, His life, his love, his all, would be much the same as attempting to part Jud^e Fenton from his violin or Gus Coates from Bend Or. This fair and fascinating little crittur(l refer of course to Ada) long ago entwined herself round Edmund's too susceptible heart. It is said that on one occasion when Miss Graham, of the Waiwera Hotel, veutured to suggest that Ada should slumber on a bed of straw in the stables, Hopkins arose in great wrath, and parodying the words of Huth, remarked, " Whither Ada goes, I go ; her bed shall be my bed and her grub shall be my grub— So'wulp me Moses !" Latterly Mr Hopkins has fallen a victim to female as well as canine charms, and he is to be married erelong to the charming daughter of our Attorney- General. , , , . , Since writing the above I have heard with regret and astonishment that Mr Hopkins has been peremptorily summoned Home on important business. "No doubt he will come ont again to wed his fiancee in a short time ; but Ins proper place is where his > duties lie, at Home on the estates which must in the ordinary course of events be his own before very long.
The proprietors of all the inns in Leamington having the Lion as a sign have "received the following letter: — "Sir, — Yon are hereby instructed, in common with, all landlords having a lion for asign, no matter what colour, that the Government can no longer permit their tails to be displayed in the contumacious manner hitherto but too common with British lions. You are at once to cause the tail to be gently but firmly drawn between the legs, and there securely fastened, during the remaining brief tenure of office by Gladstone, Bright, Chamberlain and Co." They are right merrywags in Leamington.
