FRENCH DUELLISTS

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 24, 6 August 1887, Page 2

FRENCH DUELLISTS

The brave French fire-eaters have discovered that discretion is the best part ot valour, for in consequence of M. Fe.ry'e second wanting only one shot at 25 paces to be agreed upon, General Boulanger’s snp. porter has objected and the affair will fall through. The whole affair reminds us of Mark Twain’s inimitable burlesque account of a French duel published in the “ Tramp abroad.” The old days of “ pistols for two, coffee for four, and slugs in a sawpit ” are over, and a good job too. But all French, men do not funk as has done Ferry, to r Clemenceau, the Radical leader, can show a score of sword scars, whilst Rochefort and Cassagnac, though widely at variance in politics, are alike in having a good ounce or two of lead stowed away in their bodies.

THE “HARMY "IN COURT. It seems to us that the Harmy people are getting just a wee bit too cock-a-whoop of late. In our opinion the case against young Petersen savours of downright tyranny : such a trumpery complaint should never have been brought before the Court. And the R.M., too, has no right to express his opinion whether they do good or not: what has that to do with the case ? The fact is the Harmy is a perfect nuisance to a good many people, and why its members should have a monopoly of making night hideous is what we cannot understand, Petersen is a young fool to run himself into trouble, but as far as mere justice is concerned, we contend he has j ust as much right to clang his bell as the Harmy has to yell and howl its vulgarities about the town. Why do not the police interfere with the Harmy’s systematic obstruction of the pathway every Saturday night. Let us have fair play all round. If a young man, stupid no doubt, but still not criminal, is to be hounded into gaol by the officious Dogberries of the town, let us see Holy Harry and Snuffling Sarah hauled off to the same place for obstructing the pathway, insulting people's beliefs threatening the town with fire with their torches and generally making themselves objectionable. A crime to ring a bell in the streets; confound the law, what next indeed 1 Why Burch will be their next target. We hope the appeal against the R.M.’e ridiculous appeal will be sucoieiful.

A YANKEE SPECULATOR IN CHINA. Jay Gould, the great Yankee financier, is said to have obtained the sole right of constructing railways and telegraph lines in China. Smart as Jay Gould is, we scarcely think he will get much pnlf out of the Heathen Chinee. People in the FlOWery land are too poor to indulge In the luxuries of sleepingdirs and delayed wires; and Chinese Emperors have an ugly habit ot decapitating the starters of a scheme which does not succeed. A few years back Baron Reuter thought he had done a great stroke by inducing tbe Shah of Persia to grant him the monopoly of railway making in that State, but the Baron Burnt his fingers over the transaction and returned to his telegraph lines a sadder and wiser man. Jay Gould is said to be worth about twenty millions sterling, and if he wants a really reliable spec, let him come here and buy our N.Z. Railways. He could have them cheap and would certainly make more out of them than ever Maxwell the Muddler has ever done for us.