FEMININE FANCIES.

NZ Truth, Issue 156, 13 June 1908, Page 6

FEMININE FANCIES.

Someone has been writing- to ,the. papers complaining of the waste of publicmoney m the erection of a statue to the late Premier, and asking why -there is no costly tribute erected to the memory of Sir John Hall and Sir Harry Atkinson, who both did much Herculean wojk for: their country. In the matter of erecting statues to the memory of our great men we not only beautify our cities and raise the tone of culture Avhich the refining influence of art never fails to inspire, either m an individual or a nat . jion. but we help to fan the spirit of patriotism m the young p-eneration into a flame that will inspire them also to live with the hope that they too may one day be able to do great deeds for their country. Now. m the vast expenditure that the Government is prepared to waste m their endeavor to entertain the American fleet, there is sheer waste of public funds. Not only do they invite every little Mayor from every /little township, but they also nay his ■travelling expenses. Surely the invitation is enough ? These people are well enough off to pay their own exes. It is no use telling: the working man froia 'whose pocket fthese-exponses mainly accrue. "We all know that money only circulates among; a few wealthy firms. And as far 'as impressing the American fljeet, we would instil them with a far greater respect for our business capacity : and ourselves as a go-ahead nation if we showed an indication of attending to the management of our own important affairs than wasting much time and,raonev frivolously 1 with our visitors. "Well-or-dered and well-equipped cities speak more for the soundness and importance of a country than all the free feeds and . drink," ad. lib. that we are so foolishly going to lavish on the Yankees. * • * Mr A, Adair, who is levelling the Takahanga Domain, at "Kaikoura, recently unearthed some relics of Rauparaha's terrible visit to Kaikoura many years a«x>. He found the skulls and bones of several .Maoris who were killed . m the conflicts, and also a, fine specimen of a mere. A few inches of the weapon at the hilt missing, but the "business" end was nerfect.. * * * j The following item is from the "Naval and Military Record" :— "There is a section of members m the House of Commons who are anxious ( to make the Navy teetotal by official enactments. So long as the majority of men m the fleet wish to retain their daily issue of grog promised to them when they joined the Navy, the Admiralty have no right to force total abstinence upon them. We do not think there is the slightest danger of Jack becoming a Prohibitionist." A quaint story comes to us from Castlemora, Dalmatia. Anton Iron, a youne and penniless lawyer, fell m love with a young girl named Estelle Berger, the daughter of a local merchant. The eirl's parents refused their consent to tbe union, and the girl, would not consent to a clandestine marriage. The lovers were m despair until Herr Iron thought of a way out of the difficulty. Both he and the lady belonged to an amateur dramatic club. He arranged a theatrical performance m which both of them took part, m the last act of which i hey were married on the stage m view' of the audience, the parson part being ulayed by a real minister. The bride's father was so tickled by the way m which he had peen outwitted that he gave the couple £50 for their honeymoon, and promised to furnish a house for them. I should not advise this mode of nrocedure to any young couple m like circumstances. It is not every father that would appreciate such a joke. * * * An elderly gentleman, who holds a position m of our Government offices, does not believe m telling the wife, of his bosom all his affairs, as he explained to his best friend, it does not really hurt her. The said gentleman receives for his valuable services the sum of Us 6d per day, and only owns up to 8s nor day to the partner of his joys and sorrows. Last pay-day he pot full and button-holed his friend m a corner of his pet hotel, and proceeded to count out his money that he hands over to his mate for household expenses. Then he collected his own little bit. and. -nutting it into an envelope, he said to his friend, "Here, ol(T*chap, just write your name on this ; she's bound to go through my pockets now I'm shiekered, and if she sees your name, on it she'll be afraid—to take it." Verily, necessity is the. mother of invention! ' * * * * The latest attempt to raise funds for the purchase of new pictures for our Art Gallery is by means of an artistic entertainment to be given at the end of next week m St. Peter\s schoolroom. Great preparations are being made for this and the help of a large number of students at the Technical College has been enlisted by Miss Sybil Johnson, who is sta°;eroanaging the affair. She has composed and arranged three stories, which are to be /acted against dark hangings, but without words. "A Spring Idyll" "Pierrot and Columbine," and "Paolo and Francesce," and the acting is to be accompanied by music composed by Miss Ethehvyn Kirk. The second part of the entertainment will consist of Walter Crane's beautiful masque, "Queen dimmer," the story of a tourney between Kllies and roses- <The scenery for this is very good', and over sixty performers take part, all most picturesquely attired. The poem will be recited by Miss May Mason. * * * The workmen are at present busily engaged preparing Government House for the session commencing at the end of this month. Everything seems to be m a state of chaos, barring Bellamy's, which is receiving first attention. It would have done the Rev. Isitt's h«avt good to see various casks being lowered (not by the members yet) by the custodian and his willing workers. * •* • The city clocks all seem to have struck work, and to take a delight m misleading anyone that i 9 foolish enough io consult them. I wonder if the proprietor of the City Buffet means to intimate to his customers by the absence of the hands that should grace the f'uee of the clock, that ttiey will get no tick there ? * * • * The Rev. Williams, from Wanz;anji, has been m Wellington petitioning the Church authorities for more money when with to convert the heathen Maori. lie complains that there arc thousands <>f ?<!aoiis living m the darkness who might be brought into the light under his administration. The Maoris will have none of the Rev. Williams personally whatever they may do m regard to any of his shepherds. The Maoris complain that the Williams family are rich m the lands they cheated them out of. And some Maori wag has drawn a cartoon depicting Mr Williams' father conducting a Maori prayer meeting, and whilst the Maoris are praying -with, closed eyes and uplifted hands Williams, senr., is grabbing their gold. If it is true that the Rev. Williams is a wealthy man then he should carry on his work as a sky pilot off his own fat and not come down here worrying the churches. * * . * Between the devil and the deep sea ! A well-known solicitor m this city had arranged to take his lady friend to sea the last performance of "The Scarlet Pimpernel." He booked two seats and gave his fair friend her ticket, advising her to go m first, and he would drop m his seat quite casually just before the cur--tain went up. Under the pica of office work he left home alter dinjuer and his <

spouse settled herself to a book.: Shortly; after her best friend arrived, and said. "Can you come with me to see the ] Jioipernel ■?■ Jack reserved two seats, but he has not been able to get back from -Palmerston. She accompanied her friend, and, to her surprise, just before the curtain rang up. who should drop into the vacant seat beside her but her poor, hard-worked hubby. He explained that after reaching .the office he felt so seciy he couldn't work, so thought he would just drop m and see the nlay that nad been so much talked about- "Poor ».ov\ I'm so sorry you're feeling sick," said his sympathetic "change seats, dear, and sit between Amy and I, then .we shall be all the more comfy." And if looks could kill, the little fluffy person at her side would have been a corpse hefore the first act was over.