BRIEF MENTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 42, 20 February 1903, Page 3

BRIEF MENTION.

Fine weather record thveughoub fcho colony.

A pleasant temperature this morning. Mrs Howie (Rangi Pai) the New Zealand contralto is touring in Ireland with Madame Rosa Bird.

God be thanked, the meanest of his

creatures Boasts two soul-sides,—one to face tne

world with, One to show a women when he loves her i —Browning.

A man with an unusually large mouth has the habit of opening it on some occasions vory wide. , . His dentist the other day administered a mild rebuke : ■' " Not so wide, please; I prefer to stand outside and work."

The death of Mrs J. W. Tatton, an old resident of Nelson, is announced.

Two farther anonymous donations of £500 each have been received by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, London. They all try to.—HaiTdresser: "What shade will madam have zehair dyedzis time ?" Mrs Taddles (in a whisper): "Keep it dark." Since the carrying of prohibition in Ashbartori several of the hbtelkeepers of that town have received notice from insurance companies that their risk has been reduced. It is reported that the Shah of Persia has Tedueed the number of his wives from 1700 to 60. We believe this is equivalent, in Persia, to becoming a widower. If h© owes money a workman most pay his debts before obeying the behest of his union to go on strike—so a defendant has been informed by the Bradford County Court Judge. Signor Georgins,'a new tenor singer, who has just made his debut at Naples, has created a great sensation. He was hawking fish some months ago when his voice attracted the attention of a musician, who gave him lessons' and enabled him to come before the public. < ,], Dear little boy to spinster of. uncertain age: "Yes, I mean to marry when I'm a aian." Spinster (playfully): 1 Well, perhaps you'll marry me ?" Dear little boy: *' Oh, yes, I'd marry you, only I'll tell" yen .why I couldn't' very wqll, You see, when I'm, old enough you'll be dead."

The Darbys, whose cruel murder was recently reported, had a terrier. That terrier appeared at Leyton a»d lived' with Edwards (the murderer). It was seen often to,run to a spot in the garden, looked pazzled, and then lie down on the newly-dug earth. There the remains of its master and mistress were found.

In a dispute in the South Omaha, U.S.A., District Court as to the ownership of a cow, Emma Houghman, one of the claimants, asked for the animal to be brought before the magistrate. The cow appeared in Court, and in response to the woman's endearing calls walked forward and kissed her. The experiment was thrice repeated, when her claim was allowed. _

A Texas judge was robbed of a horse not' long ago, and the thief, being arrested, was brought before him for trial. Thejudga eyed the prisoner with deep satisfaction for a minute or so, and then delivered himself of the following:— • "Owing to a personal prejudice the court will not hear this case. It will be tried by the bailiff, who'will find a verdict in accordance with the facts. In the meantime," he added, impressively, " the court will go outside and find a rope and pick out a good tree."

A certain Japanese railway company is going to staff all ics refreshment cars with girls who have been chosen for appearance, education, health, conduct and a blameless past.

They must dress their hair in a certain style, must wear uniform, and are enjoined to behave, with military discipline, to take no tips, and to refrain from chatting with the passengers.

An extraordinary scene is reported from the Florida orange plantations on a recent Sunday.. To save the trees from a frost, which is almost unprecedented, fires were kept burning in the plantations, the trunks of the trees were wrapped in blankets, " and many —so runs tho description— " were enveloped in canvas and heated with small stoves."

It is really a blessing that colonial fruitgrowers are spared this sort of thing.1' To have to runorit ona Sunday afternoon to put hot-water bottles to the feet of the gooseberry bushes would be hardly tolerable.

Time alone can test the .new naval scheme, will reveal its weak points if it has any, and will prove its worth. But. at least the nation owes a deep dept of giatitude to Lord Selborne and his colleagues for grappling with this matter and for the courage they have exhibited in dealing with it.—Army and Navy Gazette.