CHIT-CHAT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 10018, 1 June 1894, Page 2

CHIT-CHAT.

UP TO DATE. Bright sunshiny morning; rather chilly atmosphere. Thermometer in the shade " under the verandah " at 2 p.m. to-day, 63 degrees;' in front of office, 79. An auctioneer named Henley, at Leeston, has mysteriously disappeared. His horse came home without him. Search parties are out. Premier left Dunedin for. Oamaru on Thursday afternoon. Calls made by the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company have been wellresponded to. All the cooks in the Czar's palace have been dismissed, owing to a plot being discovered to poison the Emperor. Papers concerned in the publication of alleged charges of bribery in connection with American tariff are to'b'e prosecuted. It is advocated that the seditious native newspapers in India should be suppressed. An Indian loan of £13,000,000 is being subscribed. President of France has decorated an American girl with the Legion of Honor for saving the lives of a lot of Frenchmen who were in a train she stopped, which was going to destruction. An attempt has been made to wreck an aerial tramway at Brunnerton. An overdraft of £4000 asked for by the Education Board at Auckland has been refused, unless the Board get a guarantee from the Government. A libel action against the Wellington j Post. Thompson is suing for a £1000. Heading of an article contained the word " defaulting," which constitutes the libel. National Dairy Association have arranged for a fortnightly service for carriage of dairy produce jfrom New Zealand to London next 'season. Education Reserves Board decline to discuss Courthouse question until they have received reply to letter from Government. Direct steamer Tainui arrived on Thursday at Hobart from London. Sailed for Dunedin this (Friday) morning. Strike of miners at Cripple Creek, in Colorado, is assuming a serious aspect. The sheriff has procured a Gatling gun to assist in maintaining order. Premier of Bulgaria's despotic behaviour has caused friction with Prince Ferdinand. Faction fights have taken place in front of Palace at Sofia. Troops cleared the streets. A bomb was exploded in Minister of War Department in Home. No damage done. » " The Court House at Palmerston North is to be built under the co-operative system. It is proposed to have an exhibition of Canadian products in Sydney. This is to be followed in Canada by one of Australasian products. Raining in Wellington all Thursday night, and still pouring. Body of Mr F. A. Ford's son, who was reported to be missing at Grisborne, has been found floating in the river. Train caught fire on Witconsin central line (U.S.) when 20 persons were burned to death. ' Tremendous floods are reported in Fraser's river, in British Columbia, when hundreds of houses were washed away. Dr Newman is still advocating his two million loan to be spent on what he calls " reproductive works." It has been decided not te admit any " casuals" in the Wellington Benevolent Home. On account of the Mahinapua not being able to leave Wellington for Home time Mr Newton King's great drapery sale in the Alexandra Hall will be hold to-mor-row and Monday next. The adjourned meeting of those interested in the formation of a Boys' Institute will be held at the Borough Council Chambers this oveuing at halfseven. The vital statistics for the Borough of New Plymouth for May 1894, are as follows : — Births, 13 ; deaths 9 ; marrioges, '2. 5 Our Waitara correspondent writes that great fears have been entertained for the safety of the a.s. Kanieri, as no information could be obtained for some days during the recent heavy weather as to her whereabouts, and much satisfaction was felt on hearing of her safety, and without any loss of life during 'such rough weather as has been ; experienced of late. , The Public Works -Department has withdrawn the advertisement inviting tenders for the erection of a proposed new laundry at Sunnyside Asylum, as the Minister, in response to representations made to him at Christchurch, has determined to carry out the work under the co-operative system. It has also been decided to undertake the erection of the Court House at Palraerston North under the co-operative system, aud the Department is now advertising for tenders for a supply of timber. A correspondent of the Church Review says, that while catechising the children in his church on the Acts of the Apostles he asked why it was that the disciples held their meetings with closed doors, A little girl at once replied' : " Because of the policemen." Cheese should be eaten in small quantities with a large quantity of bread or some similar food, aud must be thoroughly masticated. Many stories are told of Cornraauders-in-Chief at the home ports, and no doubt some remain still to be told. One admiral, says a correspondent of the Westminster Gazcttte, is supposed to have stated that, when about to say his prayers ho was unable to approach the Almighty with due reverence and humility, unless he previously divested himself of tho uniform that reminded him that ho was Com-n«ander-in Chief at Portsmouth. Another Admiral, whoso nickname was "The Count," exhibited a small imago of himself in full uniform, made of puro silver, on the mantelpiece in the dming-room. j One day some young lady victors were being shown over tho houso by the Admiral; when they came to the same roqm ono of them remarked, " Why have you got so mauy mirrors here, Sir '! " The answer was, "In order that all my guests, when seated at dinner ; should be able to. see tho Commander-jn-Cbief , my dear young lady } " Here is an anecdote as to the perils of extemporo prayer, given by the Pall ■Mall Gazette. A well-known solicitor, groat at Evangelistic work, had been away for a holiday. On bis return he re-appeared at the parochial prayer meeting. Imagine his anguish when a neighbour, offering prayer, returned thanks for that " our dear brother W-— — • has safely returned ' from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it," Thoso whoao knowledgo of the Book of Job is shaky, will find that the quotation refers to Satan. Ono of the most successful points in Mr Henry Irving's recent address before tho professors and students of Harvard University and a great gathering of invited friends of both soxes, was a little anecdote of a Harvard student. "Iv tho course of conversation (ho said) with one of my young friends, when I received the honor of your invitation to meet you today, I had th(S temerity to ask him what his umbition in life was. 'An orator,' said he. ' I should like to bo an orator.' ' Oh,' said I, 'an orator— a Daniel Wobul#r i" His eyo sparkled with a delightful enthusiasm. 'Ah, yes,' said ho. ' Yes, if I could, I should like ,to be a Daniel Webster.' 'Yes, 1 said I, ( a great ambition. Don't you try to be anything of the kind. You be yourself ; cultivate your own power; you ''have not tho physique even to, bo a Daniel Webster.' I liiid dcgu coming across so' many young Daniel Web&tors and Edwin Forrest^ and Phillips Brooks that I .began" to <thsftk< that if things continued to go on at £he name rale" the supply might ultimately exceed, tlje ttemAjjd/ Jl",,_.r:x*» -