How a Peripatetic Philosopher Spent a Night in Dipton.

Southland Times, Issue 12022, 13 May 1892, Page 2

How a Peripatetic Philosopher Spent a Night in Dipton.

♦ Dipton has asserted herself : from henceforth Dipton Avill take her rightful place among the cities of the earth. Dipton has held a soiree and I was there. Dipton is not the most lively of places wherein a stranger may find himself benighted, although it does contain a particularlj*, good hotel ; consequently, finding myself compelled to pass the night there, what better could I do than join with every one else and go to the soiree. Accordingly I paid my two shillings and obtained a ticket at the door from a gentlem.au who would certainly fail to make a living as the walking skeleton, and I must honestly confess that I got full value for ray money. The hall was beautifully decorated with evergreens and thousands of chrysanthemums, and had it not been for the heavily laden tables I might have thought I had got mixed up somehow and had found my way into the Invercargill Chrysanthemum Show. And the tables were heavily laden with all sorts of eatables, whether locally produced or imported I know not, but I ate of a strange compound, which I was told is called cocoanut ice, and in the still small hours of the night I wished I hadn't. The supply seemed boundless, for fast as the luxuries disappeared before the hungry the dishes were refilled, till the eaters at last gave up the unequal contest and were compelled to admit that the pre* vidores " had it." Ten ladies presided at the tables, and were ably assisted by fair maidens whose name was legion. Wl.o i t'c hungry had been filled with good things, the tables were removed and the hall filled with seats, the seats themselves being filled till there was no room for more, aud even standing room was at a premium. The stage was occupied by five ministers, the choir, and one or two others. The chair was occupied by the local minister, the Rev. Mr Blackie,who was, in stable parlance, "in capital form. " Proceedings opened by singing the Hundredth Psalm, and then followed addresses by the Revs. Blackie, Ewen, White, Paulin, Kelly and a layman. Between the addresses a lady sang a solo, two gentlemen sang solos, a lady and gentleman sang a duet, and about half-past ten the choir sang a doxology. Everyone seemed to move votes of thanks to everyone else ; or, perhaps with the exception of the gentleman who moved a vote of thanks to the ladies, everyone announced his intention of moving a vote of thanks to everyone else, but got mixed somehow and omitted to do it. However before eleven the company dispersed, congratulating each othor on the very pleasant evening we had spent ; some even going the length of hoping that no future soiree might be allowed to obliterate tho memory of this one. And then, Shade of Calvin !— I shudder at telling it — the unregenerate danced, yea, astually danced on the very floor on which a soiree had just been held, and danced there till three in the morning. I don't wonder these people want another minister settled among them. As I left by the early train I did not hear what the financial results were.