What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2135, 6 November 1875, Page 2

What Everybody Says.

" In multitude of counsellors there is safety."

—Old Proverb.

When people have little to do in their own legitimate line they are apt to indulge freely' in gossip or scandal. A spice of the latter is always acceptable even to the most proper,' and unfortunately the element id seldom wanting. But everybody relegates scan. mag. to another place. It's very well to talk about, but a dangerous subject to tackle^ in print. The gossip now-a-days is priD-' cipally confined to the elections, and many names are bandied about whoso owners possibly are innocent of any such aspirations as are credited to them. For their own sakes it is to be hoped so, for if it be otherwise they are bound to experience great disappointment. The Thames free and independent electors will some day have it in their power to return two members to parliament, and the names of at least a dozen gentlemen are mentioned as likely to be candidates. Probably half of these never gave the matter a serious thought; while the remainder may have cherished the pardonable ambition of being amongst those who "stand a good chance:" success they may hope for, but cannot do so very confidently, as the chances are as numerous as the changes in a pack of cards. Everybody, however, is beginning to show an interest in the elections, and each new piece of gossip is seized upon with avidity during the dull times that prevail. Any sporting man who would give long odds against naming the winners for the Thames Plato would not be readily taken up just now. There was a banquet to do honor to a member of the press gang the other evening, but the promoter or promoters did their best to confine it to a select circle, although got up as a semi-public affair. It was a success, however, but it was not the fault of the aforesaid promoters, and if there was a little too much "shop" about the affair, it was perhaps pardonable under the circumstances, as those present showed by a good-natured toleration for what is called " blowing one's own trumpet." Everybody would excuse the exhibition of a little bad taste, because, as has often been said before, "you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear;" but the attempt to ignore the health of Sir George Grey (happily frustrated by the good sense of the company), no one would excuse. ' Apropos to this banquet a person who affects rhyming hit off the following impromptu parody:—' Three pressmen in three different ages born, The Advertiser banquet did adorn. The first in shorthand writing did surpass ; The next in calumny—in nought the last. By had found interpreters of no small use, W in had there no creatures to abuse, Or sharebrobers on whom to vent his spleen : The trio found its tail in B 1 S n. " Charon has fallen foul of " Enoch," and the editor of Enoch has replied. According to authentic record Enoch cheated Charon out of his fare, and this may account for his splenetic attack. It is true Enoch indulges in plain language, and his illustrations are not of the choicest, but he has an eminent authority for a precedent. If he thinks frequent reference to the Scarlet Lady apt, he certainly gives chapter and verse for his quotations. Whether it be in good taste is another question. By way of advice Enoch may be reminded that " Nothing is pleasant which is not spiced with variety." Captain Logan and some of the Auckland papers did their best to make out that the"Marquis of Normanby had acted very snobbishly on board the Hero, and vindictively after he arrived in New Zealand. 'Jhe letter of "A Passenger," published in'the Melbourne Argus, would seem to indicate that the Marquis was more sinned against than sinning. Since this letter was published some people affect to see the reason why Logan did not hit it with the Marquis : lie (the skipper) is an American, and Americans, if they are not slavish in their worship of rank, goto the other extreme and display their independence by actual rudeness. No doubt there is some truth in this, but as for the difference between the Marquis and Captain Logan, perhaps there is yet more to be heard on both sides.

Old " Charon" has been at it again, and some one has come to the resi ue of Enoch with, some particulars of the original Charon, an individual not unlike the one who has assumed his nanie as a norn de plume. Charon, who has assumed many disgui&es before Ihis, evidently is growing rusty for want of a newspaper controversy. He wants to get his hand in for the elections, and he can be preacher, moralist; materialist, cynic —in fact " everything by turns and nothing long." If everybody makes anything like a guess at' " Charon's" identity, Enoch may flatter himself on possessing one virtue over his opponent, namely, sincerity.