Life in Johannesburg.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7543, 25 January 1896, Page 3

Life in Johannesburg.

These ih the usual contempt in border towns for small change. A penny is a curiosity. You cannot buy even one postage stamp, but must take at laaßt three, laying down the exact amount on the Post Office counter. The Netherlands Company owns tho forty tnilea of railroad connecting the Free State border with Johannesburg. Not long ago a circus company had to pay as much to this company for their forty miles as it had paid for the previous one thousand miles from the coast to the border. But tho investment brought good returns, for the circus opened the first night to £500, in spite of the fact that there were three competing shows "turning away business." In the same week a race moeting was held, at which £5000 was given in prizes, and five times that amount was handled by ths bookmakers. The town has three daily and three weekly papers, , of which the lowest price is 6 cents and the highest 12 cents. Some of the newsboys make aa much as £30 a month. A household servant of even moderate qualifications ia a prise. Housework is done chiefly by Kaffirs, Zulus, and cooHpb, most of whom are brought ia raw from the bush. They are shockingly incompetent, but readily command £4 a month. A really smart coolie waiter or cook get 3 £8 a month. The rate of board at hotels ranges upward from 15s a day. One of the most remunerative callings id Johannesburg is that of the barmaid. Some of these interesting females earn £30 a month, to Bay nothing of large returns from " benefits " in the form of birthday parties. A frequent announcement in the advertising columns of the Johannesburg papers is such as this : — " Miss Evelyn (barmaid) will give a dance in honor of her birthday. All friends invited." Barmaids' birthdays occur on an average once in threejmontha. Water as a beverage is almost unknown. If you can't drink wine, beer, or spirits, you must go thirsty. The churches are well attended, and it is a common practice to attend a Sunday evening concert after service. Sports are very popular, especially bicycling. There is "plenty of weather, mixed." A summer's day begins fine and cold. Before noon a raging dust storm blows. In the afternoon therfltfc rain, with terrific lightning and appaftg peala of thunder. In the evening overSßs are necessary for comfort. Such is the town, now seven years old, from whicli .radiates the boom that is racking the three European capitals, driving capitalists to distraction, aud adding millions to the tons ol millions of Barney Barnato. A lady cyclist, while practising at Lak< Weroona, Bendigo, lost control of hci " bike," and ran into the waters of the lake Tho machine went under, as did the lad) herself. But the water in the lake is fortu nately very shallow, and the " cyclade,' after shaking out her garments, smiled vi pleasantly as she could, accepted the sym pathetic comments of her friends on thi disaster with the best grace that she coul< command, and weub home for a change n clothes very little ths worse for her ducking Last June Dick Crawford brought hii twelve-montbs-old child, suffering from in faatile diarrhoea, to me. It had been weancc at four months old, and had always beei sickly. I gave it the usual treatment in sucl cases, but without benefit. The child kep growing thinner until it weighed but Httli more than when born, or perhaps tei pounds. I then started tho father to_ givini Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhcci Remedy. Before one bottle had been usei a marked improvement was seen, and it continued use cured the child. Its weak neBS end puny constitution disappeared, am : its father and myself believe the child's lif was saved by this Remedy.— J. T. Marlow H.D., Xamaroa, 111. For sale by E. E Smith, wholesale and retail agent.— Advb.