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Colonist, Volume XXXI, Issue 5169, 23 March 1888, Page 4

Hebe is a sample of what vie may expeot when those recidivists become more numerous among us. Two men arrive one eight at the hut of Peyrnsset, a convict, who keeps the cemetery.of Canala, I*iew Caledonia. They put a rope round his neck, and threaten to strangle him at once unless he reveals where his money is hidden on the bank of the river. They take Peyrnsset there and give him a pickaxe to rinearth his treasure; but he succeeds in convincing them that he owns ten francs alone, which he has left in his hut. They return and take the money, but give Peyrusset a parting choke, which makes him fall to the ground—where he faints. "Stopl" crie3 one, "he's dead." The other lights a match and applies it to the sole of Peyrusset's foot, wbo immediately regains consciousness. " You're not dead, and so much the better," says he. " But hold your tongue, for we are run aways, and, if you say a word, it's all up with you." In addition to the warning of coming events we learn a remedy for fainting fits in our friends which may possibly prove of use to us. A Yankee has invented a way of travelling through a tube. A mau can be blown or sucked along at a speed of 1000 miles per hour, and there are only two difficulties to be overcome —namely, the white heat caused by friction, and the unpleasantness of being telescoped by som*e other man. The British navy is short of officers, even for ordinary peace requirements. In war the pioch for officers would probably bo serious, and it would be necessary tj supplement the trained officers now serving with considerable numbers of untrained gentlemen. Tire latest thing in-American railroad enterprise is the " bridegroom tickets "of the Canadian Pacific. Tl*e ! north-west is full of young men who I have gone to take Up land ; but young women are scarce, and the c?st of going back to the old provinces, getting married, and bringing back a wife keeps many of them single and retards the growth of population. So the C.P.R'B. w holding out an encouragement to matrimony by granting retain tickets to young men, good for six months. If they come back with a bride, ascompanied with marriage certificates, the bride's fare is refunded. But the bride must be this season's crop—and the railway officials are supposed to be ablo to tell a nice frosh bride at sight from an old one of last year. As Haydn, the compqser, was amusing hirsself one morning in shopping, he inquired of the musicseller if. he had any select and beautiful music. " Certainly," replied the shopman ; " I have just printed some sublime music of Haydn's." " Oh," returned Haydn, "I'll have nothing to do with that." " How, sir ? You will have nothing to do with Haydn's music ? And pray what fault have yon to find with it ? " " Oh, plenty ; but it's useless talking about it since it does not suit me; show me some other." The music-seller, who was a wain) Haydnist, replied; "No, sii; I have mußio, it is true, but pot for such as you"; and turned his back upon him. As Haydn was goning away smiling, a gentleman of his acquaintance entered and accosted him by name. The music-seller, still out of humor, turned at the name, and .said to the person who had just>=entered the shop : "Haydn! Ay^;'here is a fellow who says he %esn't like that great man's nrasjis." The Englishman laughed, aD, Explanation took place, and the m^sic-seller was for the future acquainted with the man who found found fault with Haydn's music. A somewhat remarkable movement has been commenced in Denmark and Norway. It is a crusade agamst the polygamous principles which have been advocated and defended in the licentious novels of Hans Jaeger, ant in'tho lectures of M. Geigersjam and of Dr Nissen These have been warmly espoused by great numbers of women, who have enrolled themselves in what they call " Sexual Leagues." and who, practising what they preach, call upon the civil authorities to register triple and even quadruple marriages. The Government, it is said, finds itself powerless in the matter. The movement is bo popular and so deeply rooted, M. Bjornson has placed himself at the head of the monogamous crusade, and is energetically pointing out to his fellowcountrymen.that the practice of polygamy is the precursor of national decay. "It killed Mirabeau and Gambetta," he reminds them, " when the country most needed their services; and the French, who have become the slaves of their, passions, are in the descendant." As a Scottish minister and an '. Snglish lawyer were riding together, said the minister to his friend, " Sir, do you ever make mistakes in your pleading ? " " I do," says the lawyer. " An' what do you do wi' mistakes ?'' was the question. " Why, sir, if large ones, I mend them; if small ones, I let them go. And pray, sir, do you ever make mistakes in preaching?" "Ay, sir, I hae dune sac." "And what do you do with your mistakes ? " •«Oh, I dispense with them in the same manner as *ye do yourseP. I reotifee the lairge, an' let go the sma' anes. No lang since, as I was preachin', I meant to observe that the devil was the father o' a 1 liars, but made a mistake, an' said the father o' a' lawyers. But the mistake was so sma'that I let it go."

Sir John WitLOUGHBy has for-3 warded^o Sindrmgham, as a present to the Prince of Wales, a table measuring nearly ten feet in circumference, mado by Mr Rowland Ward but of the hide of a rhinoceros killed in the recent Kilimanjaro expedition. The top of the table, which is beautifully polished and quite unique in design, is partially supported by horns nearly 20 inches in length. Two schoolboys at Tumnt, Victoria, exploded a packet of Chinese crackers, which accidentally set fire to the dr,ess of a girl named Mary Herlihy, who was standing by. The girl rushed along the road with her dress in flames, a-nd was co badly burnt that she died shortly afterwards. The deceased twenty years ago had a brother, crippled for life through falling into the fire wheu a child.