HAMPDEN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 818, 15 January 1867, Page 2

HAMPDEN.

(from a cobrespondent.) Hampden, Jan. 1, 1867. Deak Sib,— Christmas conies but once a year, — that good old time of jollity,- — when all seem brisht and gay, not only in Napier, Havelock, and Waipawa, but in the retired little town of Hampden. Great works in the island. Such dinners, horse races, and balls ! never was the like seen before in any inland town. ...... The great rejoicing commenced at the termination of a severe famine, which has> i*aged for many weeks in Hampden 1 , in" which many of the inhabitants suffered severely from want of animal food (the great butcher of the town having retired). A fine beast was slaughtered by a noble, gent, of the town, to enable all hands to enjoy, at least once in twelve months, a good English Christmas feed. Words are wanting to express the satisfaction which beamed upon the countenances of the good folks of the town, as they rushed down the maim streets, dish in hand, to obtain their prime joint, and "five penn'orth of fat for the; duff." Hurrah ! On the 27th, the great races took placeon a well selected piece of ground, some mile and a half from the Hampden Hotel, and announced in the papers by Mr. Limbrick to take place at twelve o'clock, sharp. Such races ! Glorious Apollo ! such horses ! trained so finely that, with little difficulty, you could draw them through the eye of a needle ; the jocks looked in fair trim — considering the time of year, — their colours were quite regardless of the usual jockey costume. Hundreds of the gentry flocked to the grand stand at twelve o'clock, sharp, and greatly was their little stock of patience tried, for, sad to relate, Mr. Limbriok's clock was out of repair, — miles too slow,-— and five o'clock was passed by my watch' before I saw any likelihood of the great races of Hampden coming off. At length, at an advanced hour, a start was effected for the hurdles. Up came the hang tails in gallant style, neck to neck, the whip and spur doing their little part towards propelling the high-bred Hampden racers over the 2^- feet hurdles — great leap — but somehow the animals dragged their hind legs over the top rail, when all three horses and riders embraced mother earth with the greatest affection. By the bye, one jock bit his tongue pff tlircugh ramming his head upon the turf, so that he will prove a great acquisition to horse breakers, being now a living dumb jockey, rather. In the evening a ball was held in the schoolroom. Invitations were sent far and neai', and at a rather advanced hour the company began to assemble in great multitudes. Dancing commenced about ten o'clock ; between two and three the violin got ni-»'-!;, yet the company "kept the pot boiling" until between six and seven o'clock, when the fiddle got what you may call regular wet, and the little arrangement was brought to a close, all having passed off most satisfactorily. So we wish Hampden many happy returns of the day, for it is a. jolly place, and jolly people in it. There is but one thing wanting to make it perfect, and that is, a butcher.