Scintillations.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3124, 19 July 1880, Page 2

Scintillations.

"Bo brief; for, it is with words as with sunbeams ; tho moro they aro condensed, tho dcopor thoy burn."—aouxiiKV.

Mr Jolm C. McLcod, a settler at Opotiki, has complotcil his Scottish romance, the " Mermaid of Loch Ken," a story of Scottish life, and which tho author intonds publishing as early as possible

Brandt, the leader of tho Mohawks in the Revolutionary war, is to havo a monument to his memory at Brentford, Canada, where he died iv 1817. The s-ivago actions of Brandt are noticed in Campbell's " Gcrtrudo of Wyoming,"

" Why arc you so precise in your statement —arc you afraid of telling nu untruth ?" aikcd an attorney of a female witness in a Police Court. " No, sir," was tho prompt reply.

" Alas ! my brethren," said a popular New York preacher in a moment of philosophical abstraction, "howseldom it is that a man is not oftcner—l menu, how often it is seldom that a man—that you rarely find a man is seldom better than his neighbours." An immense shoal of herrings visited Russell Bay on Saturday, and wero caught in coal, baskets, buckets, nets, &c. Many thousand kawhai were also secured from the wharf.

Two men were felling bush at Stratford, Taranaki, on Saturday, when, by some mishap, one of them slipped aud fell to the ground just as his fellow-workman's axe was decending. Tho axe struck his head, fracturing hi. skull, and causing instantaneous death. The men were Italians.

The R.M.S. Australia, with the Juno colonial mails, reached San Francisco on the 14th, ono day in advance of contract date.

Fifty influential farmers in tho Timaru district have resolved to form themselves into a Farmers' Co-operative Association, with a capital of £25,000.

The proprietors of tho " Queen " offer to lady artists three prizos—one of £50, one of £30, and one of £20—for tbo three best drawings or paintiugs of subjects suitable for publication in colour-printing with the Christmas number of the " Queen." A Teheran telegram announces a shocking state of affairs in those portions of Persia where famine prevails. Iv one district, 600 persons have died of starvation ; in another the distress is increasing, with every prospect of a bad harvest, whilo the price of wheat is almost fabulous.

Father Ignatius, preaching at the Protestant Monastery, Ldanthony, said he was glad to hear Mr Bradlaugh had been elected a member of the House of Commons, because when Christian Englishmen saw such a phenomenon in the political atmosphere a feeling of inquiry would bo excited, and whon they had got on to their very worst Christ would come.

Mr John Morley is the now editor of tho " Poll Mall Gazette."

On the first of January, 1880, there were 8-14,038 paupers and 649 workhouses in England. The death of Lieutenant Franks, of tho 3rd Manchester Rifles, is one of the saddest of the many recent sad firearm fatalities. He was shot in the drill-hall by a recruit, who inadvertently allowed a ball-cartridgo to remain in his rifle. The evidence at the inquest revealed tho ugly fact that a volunteer sometimes neglects to clean hi. rifle for a week, and remains practically ignorant as to whether it is loaded or not."

The editor of tho Star has received tho following: " Dear sir,—l have carefully and patiently looked in your paper tor months for the death of some individual I was acquainted with, but not a single soul I care anything about has dropped off. You will please to have my namo erased from tho subscription list."