Metropolitan Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 38, 1 April 1875, Page 3

Metropolitan Notes.

(By pur Dunedin correspondent.) The topic or the week here has been |the races. Nothing but horses and jockeys, is talked about. Some are now counting their gains, more their losses. I have. heard of. some of the former, but know a few. of the latter. One young, lad made up a book by which, he said, ne was sure tp.make at least seventy pounds. There were seven horses booked for the race, and if any one of them, save one r came in winner, he was certain of the above amount. But, alas, the one which should not have come in first unfortunately did so, and our young hero found he was thirty-five pounds in debt. He had not thirtyfive pence to pay it with. Of course he never expected to be called on to pay anything. How could he, having six chances to one 1 Saturday night was settling night at the. Empire Hotel, but our young friend forgot that little fact, and went out to Green Island to see some friends whom he had not seen for a long time. It was unfortunate, as a number of gentlemen were anxiously .. enquiring after him during the evening. Another young man from the country had fifty pounds, a year's savings, which he resolved to double at least. But he didn't. His good intentions were frustrated. On Monday he borrowed a pound from a friend and returned home a poorer, and let us hope, a "wiser man. '.Several cases of a similar nature have come to my knowledge. lam afraid that the joke of horse racing is being carried a little too far, and that there is too much encouragement given to it. It is an amusement around which more rascality gathers than any other I know of. Another calamity hath befallen the Jews. The Children of Israel here are in sqre tribulation. A few months ago their Rabbi left them, declaring that the stiff-necked race had starved him and his family, only allowing him Ll/50 a year whereon to exist. This they denied, mentioning that he had received over L3OO per annum. Under these circumstances, he appealed to the Gentile world for aid. The Gentiles responded by collecting a few pounds, which they handed to the good Rabbi, who shook the dust off his feet, and departed out of this city. But, alas, dissension and discord have 'again appeared among the chosen people. The cause of difference is this. It came to pass, that, about the time when their Rabbi left them they elected a president. Now, this president is a worthy man whom they all loved, but unfortunately he is a bachelor. _He is now requested either to get married or resign, as it is not meet that the head of the race, here, and ihe, successor of Jacob, David, and Solomon, should live in single blessedness, as those patriarchs were all " muchly " marri 3d .men. He refuses to do either. The law among them is, that the president must either be a married man, or over thirty years of age. He says thathe is tbirty-one, and, therefore the law is fulfilled. " He says also, that it is • very unreasonable to expect that a young man like him should not be allowed- to see a little more of the world before settlino- down for life. He declaresthat it is a conspiracy on the part of some oldjadies, who have daughters remaining rather long on- hand. • But he- swears^ that he will" see them far enough before he marries one of them, at least for twenty years to come. Another reason which he advances for not resigning is, ~that one of his chief accusers, if not the chief, is a modern Judas Iscariot,Who would not only betray one of his brethren, like him of old, but them all, if he could gain thirty shillings per .head by the transaction. For those reasons, and a few others of a delicate nature, he is resolved to remaim in power till Ithe expiration of his, term. I think "the good man is perfectly right,' and 'in his own choice language "I would see them far enough before I would resign." How -the -matter may terminate.it is difficult to ' say, but as "there is a new " Rabbi, on his way to Dunedin let us hope that he may . pour, oil on the troubled watery ahdiestablish harmony among the children of. Abraham.

Speaking of the ReV: Charles Clark; ! the other evening an old lady in Dunedin declared that, she had a good mincP to 1 go -to-- her minister, -and '^*et him to put a- stop to such awful on-, goings ' -m a'"' Christian ' city. v "'TtVis\ reaUy dread/ul," - she.said, . « tor jJiinkr.of a- clergyman- havihg^his'pictures put in the windows, jusfc %ft^a.,p]^ractfw^ knd going about wi' la singing woman • — she ca'si. hersel^Christjari, tas^-butl, dpqt; ttietals, np ;,muckle;|)^ftie pWistidn} aboot her. I* never kent a gude Christian-singing in piiTblic yjet,, except in the -kirkP Then- '■ he* 'believes in Dickens tae, and is mair taken np, wi' his leeing novels than his Bible. The Sooner sic clergymen is OQt rbi Ith'C : kirkr the better." ,1 confess „ th^t in some degree I shared thW/oiMdri^rid prejudices of thje.old^ lady,, but when I Went to hear the Tev. gentleman they a good elecutionisfj. ana possesses a most extraordinary m^m^ry.-r T?h§Re jis^-^q-^-ejY^Ejf a want of weight about him, and one cannot but feel, white- listening to his musical' „voice, r that ,. hen has- sung rthe same'lbirg^maily Himik iJ^ve^hless, he is well worth hearing* I think it Very wise on WpartPtir^rfar- abandon the Church, as . natore rr^idently intended him, ! fb'r- I thd i^age. Miss (phrtetian possesses^ a xn&gmS&r&woiGfy-

jand has thrown the musical world here : intoecstacies. ; \ . . ' „ ?| I h«ai?d .tale the other evening, and asj in some degree, it relates to Baiclutha, probably some of your readers are acquainted with it. I heard the account from the lips, of, the r fair sufferer herself! I may state thatshe is a tall, stout damsel, who has only seen some two-and-forty. summers. It is said that she has been crossed in love several times before, which makes matters worse for the gentle young creature. Still, she bears up wonderfully, and after her third glass of brandy, is even sometimes cheerful. Her sad story is this,: Some three months ago, a nice young man,, about five-and-twenty, came to Dunedin!;" to whom she was introduced. It was another case of love at first * sight. They were equally facinated, particularly the lady. She proposed marriage, which he at once agreed to, only stipulating that the marriage should not take place here, which might have been a little disagreeable, but in some town farther north. To the north, therefore, they journeyed. In a little town, this side of Wellington, she^aid, the solemn ceremony took place. For whole "five weeks they lived a life of love and perfect happiness; but, alas, their money being all spent, they discovered, as many others have done before them, that they could not live on love alone. They turned their steps again towards the south, and came to Dunedin. -Here he could not find employment, but she, good soul, went out washing, which genteel occupation she has long followed, and thus supported her beloved husband. At length he obtained a respectable situation, not a hundred njiles from Baiclutha, to which he went, leaving his loving wife, with two dirty shirts, which he commanded to be washed and sent after him. Since then, she has received several loving letters from him, and among other, kind expressions, he cautions her not to : venture her precious person on the coach," as it would likely not agree with her delicate constitution. Hard as it was to live apart, still he would rather suffer than that she should "run any risk's on his account ; but, as " gentle love casteth out fear," and asher gentleand yearning heart could bear tne separation no longer, she got the two shirts nicely dressed, took the coach, and departed to her unexpecting husband. But, oh ! what was her amazement, when meeting him, to hear him declare she was not his wife. Heartless wretch ! She, with tears flowing, reminded him that they had lived together for five whole weeks. He admitted the soft impeachment. When asked where her. marriage certificate was, she said" that 'during that too happy period, she -neglected to secure it. When further asked what' clergyman .had .married them, she confessed .that : she could not tell, as, on the occasion, she was so much overcome that it seemed like a dream to her. All she could remember* was that there were a great many people present — that she field his hand in her's, and said "yes" to some question that was put to her. Taking advantage of these - omissions, the perfidious man sent her away, and ;she returned to .Dunedin well nigh broken-hearted. *.' But," said she, In conclusion, '/the men are all deceivers, for I have tried- a good many of them, and ever found them so." Poor, loving creature ! may she., be more fortunate in her next attachment. .