DISTINGUISHED TRAVELLERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4556, 4 June 1889, Page 3

DISTINGUISHED TRAVELLERS.

A rath op gqod tiding je said \o have happened a- shorf.tjmp back.. The sjx>ry (says a contemporary) ri(n» that at th,o Ijtqo tho couching competition on the Grey road line] brought the fares down to f|ve shillings, two young follows booked in Greymouth for littlo Grey. They were both decently dreiied ond a) soon at they wore comfortably seatod one started to address the other as M' Lord. Kverylhing wa» M* Lord this, and M' Lord that, M' Lord in return addressing the other party as Your Grace. So things wont on, and at each stopping place III' Cord and Your Grace monopolised tho conversation, und made much ado. The other passengers naturally came to the conclusion that happy ohanco had throfn );hem in);o the company of two real live soiom of thu nubility, and tl|ey cqnioquently comported themselves worthy of the occasion. Whenever addressed by the distinguished travellers thoy novcr failed (0 answer M' Lord or Your Groco, with rojpectful recognition. Tho noblemen condescendingly ohattod with the pasaengora and on more than odo occasion at tho halting places actually permitted tho passongers lo pay for liauori for them. In fact the alacrity with which a(,lonijbng of tl)is kljid worp aocented led tho ihoutera to conclude thai noblemen wor'9 not such stuok-up snobs as they had imagined. At the different way-side hoßtelries it was of course whispered that the two traveller* were noblemen, and they were scrutinised with groat curiosity. Once again the travollors took thoir teats, and away the coach rattled. Tho same respectful silence woi observed by the rest of the passengers, while M' Lord and Your Grace talked away to each other with the utmost freedom. Beaching the hotel

1 where dinner was to be had the passengers ' filed into tbe dining-room, but on looking i round the table it was observed that the noblei men were not of the number. Somebody ' asked the driver at the head of the table what had become of the g'obe-trotters, Jimmy, , delaying his fork mid-air looked up in astonishment, and asked : Which globe-trottere? The Lord and Duke who were riding inside the coach, was tbe quick response, followed by a more particular description of the individuals. Git out, replied tho urbane James, they're no Lords. They are two digger chaps working at Antonio's, who have been having | you ! — ! Tou should have seen those passengers. Tho Duke of Edinburgh, it is said, will have to do all he knows to defend himself before the approaching court of inquiry into the question why H.M.9. Sultan was not got off after being ftranded. The court martial it already over, with no other result than this, that the captain of the ill-fated veseel, who onoa stranded his ship before, has been nicknamed " Ground rice " ; but the inquiry as to wliy she was not saved has yet to take place, and the captain and others concernod means to suggest that the responsibility rests with the Duke of Edinburgh, who hesitated for two days to authorise tho lightening of the vessel, and after that rough weather came on and tbe case became hopeless.