Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 73, 8 February 1862, Page 1 (Supplement)

ThkEmpkrou Aiarmed.—The Emperor was sitting in his cabinet at Ooinpiegne when he was startled by hearing the doors locked, and in an instant became convinced that lie was looked in—si prisoner, in short —and we all know the nervous feeling to which this impression gives rise. So his Majesty hastily rushed to the door, and on the first attempt to open it became but too-fully confirmed in the idea which bad presented itself to his mind on hearing the key moved from without. After rattling the door for one single moment, and calling to the cent-garde on duty in tlie corridor, first of all calmly, and then aloud, to open the door, without receiving any answer, his Majesty was just on the point uf raising an alarm by ringing violently, when the key_ was turned again," and the door yielded at once to his hand, and opened suddenly, to disclose the astonished and terrified couuteuance of the cente-gnrde himself, who, trembling and confused, stood before his Majesty with an expression of such deep humility and repentance in every feature, that the Emperor at once beheld the history of S3ine foolish mistake, and no criminal conspiracy, beneath the utter consternation and dismay which the young man's silence expressed with so much more eloquence tlinn th« most lengthened apology could have dene. To add to the perplexity occasioned by till extraordinary attitude of tho culprit as he stood thus, with countenance aghast and mouth wide open, ha held one hand carefully concealed behind his back, a-iif grasping-some object he feared to discover: and it was -with an unmixed fueling of curiosity that the Emperor exclaimed, " What have you concealed there?" The man, evidently for the'first time becoming aware of all the suspicion whichhis mysterious conduct was caleulatexl to awaken in His Majesty's mind, immediately drew forth the suspected article, and exhibited to the amazed eye of his Kniperor and Sovereign—a regulation sock bf dark brown cotton ! The explanation was anything but lengthy, although given amid much stammering and hesitation, interspersed with apology and excuse; but the hoots were so tight, and the feet so drawn by standing on the highly-wnxed floor of the gallery, that, driven to madness, the guilty cent-garde had actually resolved to withdraw the socks in order to give ease to the burning- feet; and in the midst of the operation, being- suddenly struck with the thought of tho consequences should His Majesty open the door of the study, he had resolved to prevent the catastrophe by turning the key—neVer for a moment having conceived the idea oi the far greater risk and danger he would run by His Majesty's discovery of his imprudence. "My boots are so tight, your Majesty," exclaimed the young man, piteously, as ho concluded his story. To which the Jimperor, scarcely able to keep a serious countenance, replied, in as severe a tone as he could command, " Well, then, wo must change your bootmaker —the one who makes for the cuirassiers will fit you better"—and, closing the door hastily, sank, overcome by as hearty a fit of laughter as he has enjoyed for many a long clay.— Court Journal.

Scarborough.—Few places just now are in better repute than Scarborough. The I^tf 1 Gazette publishes the names ami addresses ot'jßo visitors a week—a circumstantial proof of tlie npiir in which it is held. Besides being the choseri^Brtjrt; of the heaumonde, it. is pre-eminently the watering place of the northern counties; and to Scarborough resort the wealth and beauty of the vast manufacturing towns, of the great wool markets, and of the seerfcrushinjr districts on the flat sedgy regions of the HumbSi*. By far the Greater number of visitors come from London. After the Metropolis, Manchester and Leeds are the next largest contributors to the throng; then come Hull, *Indi!erjfleld, Bradford, York, Sheffield, and other large Yorkshire towns. Newcastle i* represented; yo are Birmingham and Wolverhamptou; even Cheltenham is quitted for Scarborough; so is Royal Windsor; and so is the modest Doigelly, in spite of its picturesque setting in the blue mountains of Wales. Penzanee is not too distant, nor are the Cumberland Lakes too attractive to prevent residents of both districts from coming to Scarborough. Other groups on the Spa promenade come from Edinburgh, Dublin, New York, Madras; this one is from Beflgai, that fi-om lloucn; this from the north, and that from the south. Fashion's gayest votaries are here, as well as the scorntrs of fashion; the one set us startling in their costumes as the other. Crinoline and pork-pie hats relieved against gored dres'o3 and spoou-shaped bonnets; the daintiest webs of veils, not much larger, than masks, eclipsed by fsombrelles as large as umbrellas: the widest of flounces, contradicted by the narrowest of frills; an embarrasing profusion oiViches, sequins, gold crorses, gold stars displayed on hair-nets, contrasted with a concentration of plaited tresses upon tiffs very top of pretty brows; clusters of children, spotlessly prim, a flutter of muslin, a rustle of silk, a presence of undistiiiguishable materials, with which the masculine gender is not familiar, except through the medium of advertisements and Christmas bills ; a predominance of pink and magenta—in. fine, a kaleidoscopic view of wealth holiday-making. There are no pale drab sand-shoes; no old gentlemen in pea-jackets, with glazed hats tied by a piece of black ribbon to a button hole, carrying telescopes under their arms; no ladies'ringlets blown on': of curl; no morning dishabille; scarcely a child deigning to dig a iake, a creek, or a reservoir on the sands with the once familiar wooden spade; no donkeys, with their white saddle-iloths, guarded about with scarlet, like the toga of a Roman patrician; no Dutch dolls for sale, clothed in an impracticable attire, formed entirely of shells; no bouquets made of the same imperishable materials;—these are all things of the past. . Scarborough is as removed from tifem as the Borough is from Belgravia.— Builder.

Wokk i-on tub Divorce Court.—Judge Cresswell took his seat on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the Probate and Divorce Court fqr the' first time since the vacation. The number of divorce and matrimonial causes now on the list is 86. Of these one is set down for trial before special jury, 17 are to be tried before common juries, and the "remainder before the Court without juries ; two are suits for judicial separation, and three for restitution of conjugal rights.

_ A London-hotel-keeper, with a numerous connectiouamo'tvgsfc foreigners, has coueoived the idea of having a telegraph established in his house, communicating direct with the various ports of the Continent. The idea doubtless will be worked upon by others during the Great Exhibition.

SutrAM's Pahtt.—The South Australian Register of Jan. 10, giv33 the following intelligence concerning Mr. Stuart's party. "We"learn from Chamber's Creek, under date t>ec. 29, that Mr. Tilling, with his portion of the party, arrived there on the 16th. Al! were in good health—expecting sfr. Stuart and Mr. ■\Vaterhouse daily. Tbe horses were in excellent condition, and looked better than they had before since the last expedition, Mr. Kekwick was proceeding with the drying of meat, and it was thought the whole party would be ready to start in pbout a fortnight. The weather had been warm and oppressive, but without rain, and the country wag fast assuming the uppewaw <■ fw&mt,"