LETTERS FROM THE ASPHALT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 28, Issue 1431, 3 April 1897, Page 3

LETTERS FROM THE ASPHALT.

o— ' {BY David M'Kke Wright.] Deas Maniot'oto, —Another week is over our heads, and no one has set the harbour on fire. Turks are Slaughtering Armenians, Greeks prepared to resist the world iii arms, Americans making a plaything of the Arbitration Treaty. : and British loyalty working itself to boiling point over the record reign, while Dunedin dodges quietly on its way and doesn't take a cut in 'at history-making at all. .....

You will have already heard of the bequest of the late Mr Samuel Henry Andrews.to the Otago volunteers., Mr Andrews was himself ■ through a part of the Maori war, ahd no d douMTthe of old times prompted W his.generous act. Those early volunteers 1 hadn't a very bright time of it. A complete ' cavalry uniform, it is said, consisted of a-red blanket with a hole 'in it, and the heroes wore "wont to sing :

; Sound your bugle, blow.your horn, Fifrht for glory night and morn, "A hungry soldier, racked and torn, All in the New Zealand army.

.Volunteering has become, a very, different thing in these days, but I don't doubt tha* the Spirit is tie same, and. in anycafethe bequest will come in handy. . One of the properties has a frontage in Princes-street. , T-ite Tbod'y which was fished out of the harbour the other day was that of an inmate of the Old Men's Home, who had formerly worked at Middlemarch.. , , ' .. ... To-morrow the dragmen hold their picnic. .A. procession of drags is to pass 1 through the .'town decked out for the occasion. No one in town, I suppose, is more worthy of a good day's fun than the dragmen; and yet it 'seems a : pity that the horses couldn't have had a spell too. A horse that carries a man three miles for a penny and keeps at it week in ; week out deserves a holiday now and again, ■ Mr Don's mission hall for Chinamen is at last open, and was for the first time lighted this-week.. Mr Don has worked hard for it, '.and it deserves to be successful in helping his brave ,work among people whose good the 'public have very little at heart. .An inventive genius has been perfecting a plan for brightening up matters in this city. His proposal is, to construct a cross"-bbw on •antique lines, but on a very large seals. It is tb.lbe worked by powerful levers, and is to project a .heavy arrow 6ft long for a distance of. a mile, This machine he , intends \a erect, In the Town Belt, and his is to launch a shaft over the city, land then quietly return home and wait for the result in the evening paper. As an 'object lesson of what ancient bombardments I "were lilie it should be of considerable interest. ', The force gained by the arrow in its flight is [expected to be sufficient 'to knock down any 'ordinary chimney. , Playgoers have been delighted during the .week with " The Queen of Coolgardie," ".Fiom Scotland Yard," and "The Sorrows 'of i Satan," all three played by Mr George Darrejl ; and his company. To-night, by 'request, Trilby is being produced. Of weather during the week we have had '3 good iriany samples'; rain, shine, wind, and mud, yet withal, the sun has been pretty much, to the fore and last Sunday was as a day as I Have "ever had the luck to ""see. . :

A correspondent, " Prohibition," takes me ■■strongly to task about my remarks in a late letter. I may have put things "rather bluntly, but in t|ie main I must hold to all that I [said.,. My remarks reflect the-opinions of all those with whom I have talked s who"supported prohibition at the last elec,tionv For myself, lam prepared to vote for -.prohibition as'often as. an opportunity.offers, but I do not think it. will do all that, is 'claimed for it. and I utterly condemn the -rabid, unchristian spirit in which the crusade .has been waged by many of its loudest [advocates.. Talking of payment," is tliere no payment ..bat with coin of the. realm? .How many of the leaders of the prohibition 'movement were utterly unknown, powerless [atoms in onr midst until by "sheer force of -,the noise they made they made their, name.s as household words among us;? That is the kind of payment that is dearer to most men than gold. Of course Ido not lump all ,prohibitionist leaders, and workers,together, but it is a pity that the good and sincere should be led by those who. have brought jtheir, dause into something very like contempt,. . -...-..:, " Prohibition " tells us that restriction did not restrict, and yet he is quite confident ,that j prohibition will prohibit. As long as temperance committees held sway there was at least the visible outward, sign ,that the party were in earnest, now the country at -large 'may be forgiven if they refuse to ibelieve that. Prohibition is hot a remedy for [all the ills that flesh is heir to, still it may do much good. In my opinion if half the energy 'devoted to.it had been expended on pressing the cause of total abstinence we should, now be nearer a solution of the whole question. It is worth while to remember that the Turks a'nation who do not drink, and that their rule is the worst on earth, and. that the .recent massacre of Armenians of which 'they wpfe 'guilty was probably the most terrible 'thing of its kind that has_ ever, taken place the beginning of the world., ,"ProTrib'ition" I need not remind me to have.no fears for Christianity. In the march of a -great army, moving on 'conquering and to . 'conquer, it matters very little whether one 'small,squad on its extreme left, move in 'correct step or not. The victory is certain lin ttie end and even 'though the prohibitionists, as seems too likely, hoist a, banner that is not Christ's we need have no fear.

Some of the labour organisations have been protesting against the .expepse of the Premier's visit.to England. .This is just what ] 'one,'might expect of them, butit never occurs Jto them to think what loyalty .to the British throne means, to them. By this mere costly as they hold it, all their rights and their, very existence is secured. By it they : are saved both from anarchy and from the .bad. "power of wrongly used capital Our " sober freedom " fs the best kind'of freedom, 'and .a pounds spent on a loyal demonstration m'ay yield a very rich harvest If it should jriem Seddon a knighthood what a effect that would have on our Liberal legislation, for a few, years to come ! It is far past the hour when- decent people [should be in bed and still I spill ink. For .this I must plead in excuse that I have been bunting round the town for a few nevus items 'to send to the land of tussocks. My efforts were;-vain. All I could hear about was a 'certain. Chinaman who broke his leg in Castle'-street, and the event did not seem one to affect the destinies of New Zealand. Sad to say, I have to get up in.'the morning. I could write a dirge upon that event, and, indeed, I don't think I could find abetter way of finishing this letter than by recounting the cKarmirig agony of my awakening. Here goes. I'll call it "AGNES." A Blchexoe's MoßSiro Htjin'. £he comes e'er the noisy tranicars start, . ' .Or the flrat beat wakes in the town's big heart, Or the slow wheels turn of the market cart, 'Or the whistles sound their warning; ■When the shadows lie on the land and deep, And I.'nj.ln the midst of niy lastiweet sleep', She.comes her tryst in.the.lane to keepComes with the milk in the morning.

■Bhe come* with a flutter of golden hair, Light as a bird and as bright and fair, •In the robes that a shepherdess oueht to wear, The peace of the sluggard scorning. Ihear.her whislfe that sounds before, 'And a bang like an earthquake shock at the door, In thejnidstof the plea««nt«s't, longest snore When She ca'mes with the milk in the morning. i roust tret up let happen what niayi 1 ■ /For tftesweet little delay. Though the air is keen and ltie. morning grey; And mud is the streets, adorning,',.. , • • And my weiry limbs must be-troiisered he', . While she inakes, remarks through the door stmt', And.bangs the panel with wanton glee , Wmjh she conies with the milk hi the morning.