RUMOURS OF THE QUEEN'S ABDICATION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 2415, 31 May 1876, Page 3

RUMOURS OF THE QUEEN'S ABDICATION.

The London correspondent of the New York Graphic writes as follows on the rumours of the Queen's abdication: — "At not long intervals some one in ' society' whispers that his wife's uncle, who is on very intimate terms with the bosom confidant of Prince Christian or Prince Lichtenstein, had told him that the Queen had mnde up her mind to abdicate. The story thus started runs the usual rounds, aud gathers large proportions, but after awhile dies away again. The story has been again set afloat within the last few days, and, na usual, it is attributed to remarks made or hints dropped by some of the Queen's German cousins, who are notoriously very much more in her Majesty's confidence than any English person. The story, this time, seem to be believed in the German Courts, and it has found its way into the Continental journals. Probably there is no truth for the rumour, but one cannot be certain. The fear, as well as the wish, is sometimes father to the thought; and there are many German serenities who would be very sorry to see the Prince of Wales take the place of the Queen. They would find their positions altered very much for the worse. An ominous incident, is said to have occurred at the close of the reading of the Queen's Bpeech on the opening of Parliament. The Queen, who bad been seated on the throve during the reading of the speech, rose to retire, when, as the story goes, her crown ' fell oiE nnd rolled upon the floor.' This *is an exaggeration of what really happened. The Queen wore a small coronet of diamonds, the great crown itself being carried by one of her attendants on the cushion. Part of her Majesty's head drees consisted of two long ' weepers, 1 and the ends of these had cnugUt themselves on the throne behind her. When she arose the * weepers' stuck fast, and they dragged the coronet from its poeition on her head ; the Princess Beatrice started forward and released the ' weepers, 1 and that was all there wns of it,"

Mabiuage of Mb. Fitzgerald's DaughTEK. — An interpstiug marriage ceremony was solemnised by Bishop Hndfield at St. Peter's Church on the afternoon of the 20th (says the 2V. Z. Time*), tho bridegroom being Mr. W. H. Levin, well known nnd greatly respected in Wellington, a partucr iv the firm of Levin and Co. ; the bride, Mies P'itzGerald, daughter of Mr. J. E. FitzGerald, C.ftr.G., ComptrollerGeneral of New Zealand. Iv celebration of the happy event all the shipping in port displayed its bunting, Mr. Levin being Chainnau of the Chamber of Commerce, and held in high respect amongst the mercantile nnd shipping commuuity. The employees iv the firm of Levin and Co. were not lost sight of by their employers, who not only gave them the necessaries wherewith to do honor to the auspicious occasion, but generously distributed among them one hundred pounds. A Dreadful Accident.— Mr. Chapman, the sexton of the Shoitland Cemetery, was conveyed to tho Hospital on the 23rd instant, suffering from severe injuries, received under somewhat peculiar circumstances. On Monday evening, Mr. Chapman, in pursuit of his vocation, had dug a grave, and proceeded to pull some of the short tea tree which uas growing around, to form a lining for the bottom. He pulled violeutly nt a tussock, which gave way flU'Jdcnly, and ho fell buckwardp. He, unfortunately, fell on a growing stump of ten* tree scrub, which had been cut w t tin n few inches of the ground. Tliiw Btump entered I) ic baelc, nnd penetrated to his JntcstineH, leaving a hole through which the intestines protruded. He was found in this paiuful condition, aud conveyed to bis home.

OPENING THE COCKT WITH VOCAL MUSIC. —"I have heard of the proceedings nt a meeting of creditors being opened with prayer, and the wrath of the Bwindled ones who had suffered from the pious humbug's business transactions is not unknown, to me, says the Nelson correspondent of the Otago Bally Times. But it remained for a Warden of New Zealand to give me a new sensation. He opened his court, situated in a mining district, ia the? Norths op. South > Island— dt tom%&M*t frhi^fi— witli a,,BQBg. Report 1 tnal tne Warden sang bass, atidlhepoTiceman tenor."

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