THE BYSTANDER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1291, 26 November 1896, Page 13

THE BYSTANDER.

" When found make a note of." —Capt. Cuttle.

A TERBIBLE disaster, when over a thousand

A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

people were crushed and trampled fo death, is recalled by a writer in the Leisure Hour. It occurred in India in the time before the paternal

British Government had undertaken the regulation of pilgrimages to holy place 9, and every year at the feast of Hard war all struggled to reach the holiest ghaut at the very moment declared by the astrologers to be the most propitious. There were many disasters of the kind, but the most appalling scene of all was enacted at the great fair in 1820, when the concourse of people was unusually great. The crowd poured in from both sides, along a broad street, from which a narrow street, diverging down a steep flight of 6teps, leads to the sacred bathing place, as the auspicious hour drew nigh the multitude preseed on more and more eagerly. New comers, not knowing the nature of the ground and the steepness of that narrow street, still pressed more and more earnestly, struggling to force the others onwards, themselves crushed by those behind. Thus the living torrent was borne along with irresistible impetus, the crush becoming more and more awful as the immense mass of living beings became so tightly wedged as to be perfectly immovable. Every moment the pressure became more terrific, and every attempt at extrication more utterly hopeless. At first the appalling shrieks of agony of the crushed and dying were merged in the general rear and hubbub of Hindoo voices, at all times tumultuous, and the eager worshippers in the rear still pressed on, so that it was some hours before the street could be cleared. When at length they began to suspect that something was amiss, and the human mass recoiled, the city presented a scene as of a dreadful battlefield. Upwards of 1000 corpses strewed the ground ; hundreds more were maimed for life, thousands more or less injured.

A BIRMINGHAM publican tells how on a recent Sunday afternoon two

He didn't come BACK.

men and a smarts-dressed woman drove up to the door of his house in a dog-cart. One

of the men jumped out, entered the house, and presently emerged bearingglasses containing refreshment for himself and companions. He reseated himself in the vehicle and drove off without returning the glasses. The landlord at once ran out and followed the party for some distance, t-houting " Stop, thief !" Just as he bad given up all hope of the delinquents being overtaken, he noticed something fall ftom the vehicle. This the irate landlord found to be a valuable gold-mounted umbrella, quite new. The loss had passed unnoticed, or the owner was afraid to turn back, for the dogcart continued to travel on at a smart pace, and was quickly lost to view. Boniface, quite contented with his find, walked quietly back to the house, and is now awaiting an application for the return of the missing article.

The Pelican tells a story of a certain gentleman of hunting proclivities in

A SAD DISAPPOINTMENT.

the Cambridgeshire county who laid down a pipe of very Jemarkable port on the day his eldest son was born. When the

young man reached 21, a great dinner party was given. After the ladies had left the dining-room, the host and bis men guests went to the cellar, and the son removed his coat, and amidst breathless silence broke down the barrier, thrust his hand through, and brought out—nothiug at all! For, von sec, a certain wise person, hearing that all this excellent port was lying bricked up, had taken the next house, furnished, for a month, and had broken through and removed the wine.

A very dangerous state of affairs has disclosed itself in New Oxford

DANGERS IN A LONDON STREET.

street, London, and the shopkeepers there are trembling for the safety of their expensive shops. It seems that when the street was constructed it

was securely laid in a bed of concrete, which

has remained firm for all these years. An engineer expert has now discovered that this concrete covers an enormous hollow caused by the subsidence of the soil. There is not only a danger that the concrete may ultimately give way and weaken the foundations of the surrounding blocks, but, moreover, it is found that the hollow is filled with gas. During last winter several explosions occurred under the footway and in the road, but nothing out of the ordinary was suspected. The engineer referred to has at last located the trouble. Fears are expressed that an explosion may eubue during repairs. Should this unhappy event come to pass, one of the finest thoroughfares in London would be laid waste.

The German Kaiser will not tolerate con-

THE LATEST KAISER STORY.

tradiction, not even from an old and tried officer. In Berlin, the following story is current concerning the resignation of General Bronsart von Shellen-

dorff from the office of Minister of War. The General was one of the commanders in the Franco-German war, and has known the Emperor from infancj. So when the Emperor recently plauned out an elaborate-scheme for surrounding the fortress of Thurn, in West Prussia, with a lot of small forts, the General quietly pointed out the financial difficulty. '• Hut if T command it?"' said the Emperor, hotly. " Even that will not find the money," the General answered good-humouredly. The Emperor, thereupon in his anger, saluted the old General with mock obsequiousness, first asking, " Has your Majesty any further instructions or commands to give me ?" and then deliberately turned his bac'z: upon him. Indignant at the treatment to which he had been subjected by his sovereign in the presence of all his fellow-generals, most of whom were his juniors in point of service and rank, the Minister promptly resigned.

Apropos of the question of secret com- |

SECRET COMMISSIONS.

mission in trade, a well-known electrical englnner has told a London correspondent of a practice he is in the habit of

adopting in cases where contractors provide for an " engineer's commission" on their estimates. At first, recognising the immorality of the practice, this gentleman set his face against it, ani refused to have anything to do with it. But , as time went on he came to the conclusion that the practice had gained such a firm hold j that it was folly for any one man to attempt to break it down, and as he found that his refusal to accept the commission for which provision had been made in the tenders only resulted in contractors making a larger profit he determined on an altered line of conduct. He now accepts the commission as a matter of course, but hand 1 * over the cheque to bis employer, to whom the money both legally and morally belongs. | The story of Cinderella and golden slippers

THE LEGEND OP CINDERELLA.

is founded on an Egyptian legend which dates from six hundred years before the Christian Era. There was f.t that time a beautiful maiden named Bhodope, who one day ventured to bathe in a clear

stream near her home, leaving her shoes, which were very small, lying on a bank. An eagle passing above caught sight of the little sandals, and, mistaking them for a toothsome tit-bit, pounced down and carried one of them off in his beak. The bird unwittingly played the part of fairy godmother, for flying over Memphis, where the king \v£s dispensing justice, it let the shoe fall directly at the king's feet. Its size, beauty, and daintiness immediately attracted the royal eye, and the king determined to know the wearer of so cunning a shoe. Messengers were sent through all the kingdom in search of the foot that it would lit. Rhodope was finally discovered, the shoe placed on her foot, and she was carried in triumph to Memphis, where she became the Queen of King Psammetichus.

The Norwegians are progressing. They have now got as far as a

NORWEGIAN SEPARATISM.

separate flag, and total and immediate repeal of the union with Sweden is called for by

an increasing Nationalist party. They haTe annoyed the Swedes beyond expression by reducing tht Norwegian contribution to the income of King Oscar, who is idolised in Sweden. It is quite certain (says the Saturday Revieiv) that the Swedes will not allow Norway to separate without a war. But though Sweden is, of course, far richer than .Norway and has twice as many soldiers, it would be exceedingly difficult to subdue a nation of mountaineers like Norwegians Kussia might interfere, not for the first time, in Scandinavian politics ; and a Kussianised Norway would be a far more serious thing for Great Britain than a Muscovite Turkey.

THE Admiralty and Horse Guards Gazette,

Are BLACKGUARDS THE BEST SOLDIERS.

in advising the formation of the black sheep in the Army into a battalion of their own, following the example of the French legion sent out to Algiers on Wellington's prin-

ciple that " the biggest blackguards made the best soldiers," gives us an historical proof to the contrary, the story of Picton's men after one of the battles in" the Peninsula. The choleric old general, while upbraiding his men for an outburst of pillage, told them that they were "the biggest blackguards in the army." The reproof was received with sullen silence, but when, shortly nfter, the men marched past their commander in celebration of a great victory, in which they had covered themselves with glory, a great shout went up, "Are we blackguards, now ?" And Picton, while he made answer, " No, not now ; you have redeemed your characters," gave evidence that, in his opinion, hero and blackguard were not synonymous terms.

In Le Roi Modus there is a drawing: of a

WOMEN ON HORSEBACK.

lady flying a hawk ; she is sitting astride her horse. This manner of riding seems to have been the only one usual for

sportswomen; the chair-like saidle on which a woman sat with both legs on one side, her feet resting on a footboard, was used by farmers' wives, and probably other women who merely wished to be conveyed from one place to another. 'I he side-saddle with a pommel was first used, it is said, by Catherine de Medicis, who introduced it into K ranee, ami Queen Elizabeth a few years later not merely adopted the side-saddle herself, but forbade women in future to ride in any other fashion, declaring the old way to be immodest. The several attempts made to revert to the primitive way of ridicu since the days of the Virgin Queen have always proved futile, and even in this century of female emancipation the fashion does not promise to become popular. Scott 4 in his " Field Sports," published in 181 S, says that some few arid rare exceptions have occurred to excel in the ancient style of riding both in the field and upon the road, and sajs he remembers '•many years ago t.vo young ladies, daughters of a man of rank, who sported their doeskins and men's hats, riding astride to the infinite amusement of the neighbourhood."—" Women and Sport," in Baily's Magazine.

New cricks, says the Daily Telegraph, are daily devised by the sharpers

THE LATEST FR'iN'Olt TRICK.

who arc tetting themselves to the work of making something out of the Czar's visit to Paris. Persons coming up from the

country are accosted by the swindlers at railway stations, and are offered lodgings in some street through which the Emperor is to pass. The trick was played successfully on a tradesman from Lille, who was met at the Gare du Nord by a well-dressed person, who offered to rilot him to rooms whence he could command, for about 10 francs daily, a view of the State journeys of the Russian Ruler. The proposition was too hastily accepted by the visitor, who, being invited into a cafe for re-

i "eshments by his presumed host, was left there a victim of hia own want of foresight. The eharper, on the pretence of preceding the visitor in order to get the rooms ready,- drove off with the luggage and an advance fee for the lodgings. One of the portmanteaus secured by the escroqueur contained .£SO in gold and notjs as well as the owner's jewellery.

IT is with some sly humour, apparently, that the Paris correspondent of

AN INCIDENT OP THE CONSCRIPTION.

the Mornincj Posi relates the history of two cousins named D——, that being an initial which is clearly appropriate iii the circumstances. It seems that Louis wished to avoid

military service. When the time arrived last year for him to join his regiment, this young man persuaded a cousin who had been rejected as unfit for service to start in his stead, pointing out that, as before, he would not pass the medical examination, and that all would be well. Albert consented, and was duly examined on his arrival at headquarters. This time, however, he passed as fit, and not daring to confess the substitution, was incorporated for service for three years. Louis meantime agreed to send him 40 francs a month to enable him to pass the time as pleaaautly as possible. In August this year LoUis got tired of the drain on his resources ami sent no more remit- 1 tances, with the result that the enraged Albert confessed to the captain. Both principal and substitute have been and will probably have to p?.y dearly for the deception.

A good many letters with vague addresses pass under the notice of the

a postal officials in the course of CURIOUS a year, and cause a great deal address, of trouble before they are safely delivered. The Bundaberg Star notes that " occasionally these have to travel from post office to post office, till the addressee is found, and an instance of this kind has just occurred at the local post office, whete a letter has been sent on from Brisbane bearing the following address: ' Mr John Street, sugar plantations, Queensland, Australia,' and as he has no knowledge of any one of this name Mr Stiller would be glad if anj r person having such knowledge will call at the post office and let him know."

Gold has been discovered in the main street of Melbourne. On this thrill-

Gold IN MELBOURNE STREETS.

ing find the Herald remarks : '• A most peculiar ' find ' of gold, or what resembled that metal in every particular, was made in Collins street to-day,

and during the afternoon a number of people visited the spot and inspected it. It will come as an eye-opener to many people of the city to know that they have brushed past the spot a dozjn times a day, but did not know of their proximity to the precious metal, and perhaps we may here say that the discovery was made at the corner of Elizabeth and Collins streets. However, it was not after the result of any laborious boring that it was brought to light, bub simply by the close scrutiny of a passer-by of the gigantic granite blocks which form the foundation of the Equitable Assurance Company of New York, Simply that .and nothing more, and any oue passing who cares to look closely into the front block on the right-hand side can see—nay, feel —the polished front of a small nugget, and round the side numerous specks are visible."

TnE Euro}iean Mail has some fun out of the

South Austral inn Governor as

didn't follows:—" 'Tvvas ever thus appreciate with the poor Australian

THE TR \CTS.

aboriginal, since the nervous whitefellow joined him in the

Antipodean continent. Recently when Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, the South Australian Governor, paid a visit to Oodnadatta, His Excellency's serious-minded aide-de-camp, Captain Guise, took occasion to distribute some tracts among the blacks who came in to pay their respects to the Governor. The gladdened natives immediately tore off to the local storekeeper and presented the tracts, under the impression that they were orders for blankets, tobacco, and such. They were very angry indeed when they found the papers unnegotiable.''

" FrigotheraPATHY ;" that is the new

FRIG OTHERAPATHY.

cure Parisians will be invited to try straightaway, when suffering from dyspepsia or sluggish slornaeh ; no more

life pills, or big or little'ditto, of any smt. Engineer Pictet has his TVo'odyte wells ready, by wh ch the patient, after being examined by two doctors, will be slowly lowered into the antarctic depth", to be bathed in a tempera ure of HOdeg to 222 deg below zero! The patient will then lie wound up—in tiie cord sense-not a block oi ice, or as stiff as a frozen leg of mutton from Australasia, but cured of his ills. It is hardly yesterday since Turkish baths have been invented to cure us of all ills by heating the mortal frame to 212 deg about above zero ; now it is that many below that leads to centenarism.

" You cited last week the dilemma of a

STEALING GAOL 1

Gippsland constable/' saj's one of " Woomera's " correspondents in the Australasian. '■ But what are these as com-

pared with the experience of the North Queensland trooper? One of them hal arrested two men for some offence, and lodged them safely on the local gaol. I s-ay ! 'on' because the gaol was a log to which 1 prisoners were padlocked O.i going his rounds that night the constable missed both the gaol and its occupants, but the sounds of a carouse drew him to the nearest pub, where he found both prisoners drunk, with her Majesty's gaol lying on the floor between them. They were too drunk to carry the gaol back to the police camp reserve, so the trooper had to haul both prisoners and lockup himself. But he will get even with them. A second charge is entered against them of being found with stolen Government property in their possession —to wit, one gaol."

It looked easy eoongh. A director of the ]

COULDN'T Move IT.

company had told one of the visitors to the mine that if he could carry oil the innocentlooking lump of amalgam on the floor of the smelting-xbom

be could have it.- There must be no rolling, | but a straight-out lift. At this a young solicitor chipped in with J—'«That's all right, Mac. It's a legal contrast. There's the metal, and you have only to give Consideration in the shape of a heave or two, and ten thousand pounds is yours." The smallish looking lump on the floor contained about six thousand ounces of amalgam which Would retort out something over a third pure gold; but \a one unused to such things it looked just a fairish weight. $o our green* horn thought he had a soft thing ou f and rushed at the cylindrical object as if lifting it were as easy as drawing th« money after getting first horse on a Melbourne Cup consultation. We leave the denouement. A bed in the local hospital for a severe stiain had a proiiiueat p!>v.:e therein, but the gold remained.

That the law is no respecter of persons hag

NO BESPECTER OF PSRSONS.

all visitors to the Trossacbs are familiar. The Fall Mall Gazette of 16th September says : "Yesterday the extraordinary spectaele was witnessed of two magistrates, one a bailie and the other no less a person than the provost, not seated on the bench as on ordinary occasions, but standing in the dock ! Oddly enough, they had both been guilty of the same offence —they had allowed their chimneys to catch fire. They might have pleaded, not unreasonably perhaps, that what had happened had been their misfortune rather than their fault, but they scorned to stoop to subterfuge, and frankly admitted that they had allowed their chimneys to catch fire. The admonition from their brother magistrate they received in all humility, and with smiles on their respective faces etch delinquent paid down a fine of half-a-crown* And the law's majesty was upheld."

Dolgelly has an imitator of the methods of

been strikingly demonstrated

in the Police Court of Callander, the pretty little Perthshire village which lies in the heart of the "Lady of the Lake " country, arj'l with which

TOO THIN 1

excess ; only Dolgelly's imitator played the experiment by her own proper self. She is a person named Shields, who is well known locally, according to the Western Mail, as a popular temperance lecturer. She was found in a drunken and disorderly condition, and was taken before the magistrates. She stated that she became intoxicated to show the Dolgelly people the curse of dri.uk. They would benefit by seeing her stand disgraced, apparently, in a prisoner's dock. The magistrates informed her that there was also a penalty of 103 to pay, or fourteen days. The defendant : Is this not sufficient punishment and disgrace ? Cannot you give me the benefit of the First Offenders Act? Mr Wynne Williams (chairman) : No ; you must pay, or go to prison for fourteen days.

the Spartans, who made their helots drunk in order to excite disgust against the vices of

Thkek children, whose ages varied from

JUVENILE BUSHRANGERS.

14 to 16 years, were presented at the Kilmore Court (Victoria) a week ago on a serious charge. Their names were Bessie and

Herbert Cullis and Dorothy Humphries, and they were charged as juvenile bushrangers. It appears that when the Chintin mailman was returning, he was bailed up by two girls, who wore masks. They inquired the road to Kyneton, and submitted other queries, to which the mailman replied. He was just riding away when a shot was fired at him, and later on another one. He turned round, and saw the children running away. On arriving at VVallan he informed Constable Polmear, who went to the place and arrested the youthful desperadoes. The boy admitted firing at the mailman, but eaid it was only fo '"' a lark." Mr Morrison, P.M., took the same view, and discharged the accused, but advised them to leave such jokes aside in future. The boy marched out of the court with the gun on his shoulder.