Varities.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 347, 1 January 1903, Page 7

Varities.

MT BALL-YOUR BULL, QfSJKESBM. iN military man, as well as «ftjjgj historians hold' ill-regulated and el©?! undisciplined and disorganised valour in low esteem, except, apparently, when employed against the British, says the' National Review.' This' ijtltow the persona whom the French call gsjtlant and devoted Frano-tireurs are, described in Niemann's - well known treatise,, translated by Gen. Newdigate, page 190: '.'■"•' ' Many associations in the most wonderful coatumes and with the most seditious laws joined the large masses of the poorer classes, who went about in a more simple manner, to kill. *- * * It ia certain that not only, all penniless vagrants, the proletariat of the plains and the towns formed the nucleus of the Franc-tireurs bands, but also many a foolish or beguiled or intimidated peasant, also associated himself with theae lawless, robbing and murderlnsc hordes.' It was robbery and murder to loot, a German!train and shoot its guards in 1871,, but it is duty and ohivalry to stop a British train and to shoot its occupants of both sfxea in 1801! Verily the African air must be productive of weird moral transformations and permutations. Niemann Bays, page 131: . 'Very; frequently the German officer and soldier, through the frenzied warfare of the people, unacquainted with the first principle! of war and all the rules for ameliorating its horrors, were forced to have recourse to fire and sword, while their hearts bled for the wretched sacrifice—old men, women, and children whose welfare, means of existence, and whose lives were devoured by the war.' NEGRO DEVISED THE BANJO. Whether the southern negro cm legitimately claim so be the pioneer in 'rag' time' music, it seems, says*the 'Springfield Republican, that he devised the banjo, the instrument with which the darkey of the south is most closely associated. , Dr. Clark, curitor of musical instruments in the National Museum fit Washington, has reached this conclusion after research. The banjo is unknown on the west coast of Af ric», and was introduced in the West Indies from our southern states. The first of which there ia any trace was made by an old South Carolina negro before the revolutionary war, out of a gourd with a handle attached. The first screw-head banjo was made in 184? by William Bencher, of Bolt imCre, who is still living. J'J k'i THE TRA.PPIBT. The Trappist must be ready for whatever Work may be assigned to him by the abbot or by the cellarer, by which name the steward is known. He may ha*e to tear himself away from the library, where he is copying beautiful hymn books, and go to sprinkle a clamp of trees or whittle shavings. He must never refuse a task, but always perform his work with eagerness by virtue of the eternal law which demands that we toil, but, by virtue of the law of obedienee, he has not the right to select his work, says.the 'Catholic World Magazine.' A light repast, even poorer than the morning meal, ends the day's work. Then the Trappist, towards 5.30, reads and meditates; finally, at 7 o'clock, this long file of silent shadows wends its way to the' dormitory. It is an immense room, entirely bare; small partitions not high enough to reach to the ceiling indicate the inclosure of the cells. There are no doors in front of these cells, a curtain of gray serge being tha only protection. A camp bid is the entire furnitur*, and on the bed a straw mattress, a straw pillow, and some blankets. a Even when ill the Trappist is compelled to sleep with his clothes on. He spends seven hours on this hard bed, and when, in the middle of t>>e night, the bell rings for the service, the Trappist, up at once, begins a new day , rigorously simitar"to the preceding one.

„ THE HELPFUL TOAD. jA lady who lives near me has a toad so well trained that it jumps upon her lap and then upon a table near her in order to catch flies. Another lady has treetoads as pets. Taey have the freedom of the house and go about hunting flies, says ' Good Housekeeping.'.. Whenever they wish to go out on the porch they, hop close to and trill. My friend opens the door and out they go. When they wish to return, they approach the door and make the same noise to ask for admittance. They enjoy life indoors aac. always.come b»ck into tbe- house of their Own accord.. They, have. a; basin of sand for their bed and alarge pan of water for their washtub. ——— | THE TZIGANE IN.ROUMANU. They are always gay, and bring merriment wherever they go, ahd therefore, in. spite of their somewhat evil reputation, are generally welcome. Hostelries. and fairs are often thronged by those gaudy visitors, whose nudity is barely covered by their bright coloured rags, whose jokes spirited, and whose recklessjijestt is.fbequalled. The Tzigane women /eJreKV&reed in. the secrets of witchcraft and magnetism. Oral tradition has had much to dp with their. success, and they appear to practice in en uncouth way many of the rites attribufad "to tto Thessaiian magicians, which, coming primarily from Egypt and India, played a conspicuous part in Greek mythology, says the ' Contemporary Beview,' When they desire to call down a curse on anyone they fear, or dislike, they, hang a long red rag at the door of their huts, a survival probably'of the famous red mantle" huug by the priests of Samothricia at the door of the temple when the god was angry with the city and its inhabitants., They bewitch'the waters of wells and rivers, and- like the duk sorceresses ol tbe Middle Ages, whom Michelet so eloquently describes, they mix their love philters of the blood of animals and birds, and persuade some rude Tristam to pursue, or forget, his (Isolde. Thfy pietend to influence the elements and. to sow death among the cattle. While they are casting their spells and bewitching the neighbours, the men and the children penetrate into tbe yard of the rich farmer and steal .his poultry. Thus the Tzigane, .are, a double curse to the existence of the Roumanian peasant; while the man robs him, the woman gains a strong influence' over him through his imagination and superstitions fancies, which no reasonings of religion can combat.

AS HIS CHILD SAW HIM. A prominent real estate man in Los Angeles had an experience a few evenings ago that kept him'guessing for a little bit as to whether he should fe'ol cpmplimited or otherwise.He'was at home with one little daughter while his wife and another of the children went down town-. Darkness was coming on and the little girl was anxiously-watching for hep mother's return. Her ( neryoußness grew apace, in spite of the father's; attempts at reassurance 1 ." At length the little.one burst ißto tears, saying: "' I just can't help it! I need mamma, and I must; have her 1' ' Do yon do this way when your mamma is here and I'm away V asked the father. 's©, of actinia not,' replied the little one. ' 'Cause then thenfe's some grown-up person about the house."