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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2170, 17 December 1875, Page 2

A coeeespondent of the San Francisco News Letter, now in .England, writes :—" Many anecdotes are told concerning the sort of relationship which: exists between our honored lady the Queen, and her faithful servant John Brown. Some of these must, of course be taken with a grain of salt; but the following, I believe, can be relied upon :— John's affection for Her Majesty is very great. It was Prince Albert who first took the man, simply because he was straightforward and independent. John never alters his broad Scotch tongue for anyone, not even Royalty itself. The Queen was once getting cosily settled upon her Highland pony ; the animal being small and the roada dusty, it became necessary to tuck up her riding habit with a pin. John Brown was performing.this office, when suddenly, 'Oh, dear,' exclaimed Her Majesty,';• you have hurt me Brown.' • Your Majesty should wear mair claes, then,'' was John's reply. Brown was presently sent in to fetch a mantle, which the Queen described. Instead of bringing the one wanted, John brought a much thicker one. ' Brown,' said the Queen, ' that isn't the one at all.' 'It's just this- an' nae ither, your* Majesty,' -said John, buckling it behind the saddle; 'I ken mair aboot the weather than you ;' and the Queen submitted like a child."

The cricket match which was to have taken place on Saturday last will be played to-morrow at Parawai. Players are requested to be on the ground so as to commence at 2 p.m. sharp. The following are the selected sides:—Mr Bell's side — Messrs Bell, Burgess, Carrick, Chew, Cook, Grace, McFarlane, Pulleine, Ruddock, Schofield, West, Woodward, Walker, Webb. Mr Paul's side—Messrs Carnell, Donovan, G-ellion, Hill, Kneebone, Hennelly, Lodge, Masters, Moore, Nodder, H. Paul, Eeyuolds, Spencer, Watkins.

Thbbe was a case on the.civil list at the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day between two Chinamen—Ah Ti and AhJTooh. The amount in dispute was seven and sixpence. Solicitors were engaged, and it was thought that the celestials intended fighting the matter out; that the services of an interpreter would be wanted, and the operation of administering an oath according to the accepted forms of inhabitants of the Flowery Land would have to be gone through. But such was not the case. Better counsel seems to have prevailed, the matter was settled out of Court, and neither blowing out of matches, decapitation of innocent roosters, or smashing of crockery : was rendered necessary to " swear " the celestial litigants—the first who have appealed to the civil law on the Thames.

We draw attention to the performance to be given to-morrow night in the Theatre Royal by the members of the T.A.D.C. in aid of their Wardrobe Fund. As we have before said the club have strong claims on the public for support, and appealing,, as they do now, for that support which they have a right to expect we reiterate our wishes that they will meet with every success.

At St. George's Grammar School tonight there will be an entertainment given, in aid of the Prize Fund and Cricket Club of the school. Selections from different authors, Dickens Ac., will be acted by the pupils of the school, and songs, recitations, given during the evening. We hope to see a large attendance ready, to encourage the youthful talent of the.district; -■ ' '.;■. '.■■"'■." ... ■' '" ,-'''■'. ■..".. ■"..-•

An experiment lately tried of bringing peaches per steamer Canada from New York to London in a: box on deck, arranged on the Aliegretti refrigerating plans was a success. The.fruit was delivered at the latter pqrt in: good order, and! was largely purchased.

A female lecturer in California, speaking in behalf of her sex, says :-—Man|s pleasures would never suit us, and his profits we have. We allow him to dress respectably, and take us to lectures and other intellectual circuses, but the bulk of his income we appropriate.

A stoby comes from-Warrnatabool of one of the wealthy lower orders, who made a considerable fortune iv the csarly daj:s of Melbourne, and who "shuffled off his mortal coil" some eighteen months ago. During his latter years he had a small tin case (which he had dug up from its hiding place) put carefully under his pillow every night, and safely placed under lock and key in the daytime. A solemn shake of the head was all the hint that'his spouse (the fourth he had in his lifetime) .could obtain in answer to her inquiries as to its contents. Some time after his death, and when his pecuniary affairs were finally settled, she ventured on opening the case, which she expected contained vast wealth. Parchment after parchment was unfolded, and at last the secret was out—the treasure so carefully guarded was the dear departed's ticket of leave.

An extraordinary case of somnambulism is recorded as having recently occurred at Murfreesboro. One of the young lady students of the W. F. College, during : the night got up from, her bed, threw over herself a loose wrapper, and started down the town. She went into Colonel Vaughan's residence, and into his room and laid on a lounge. It greatly surprised and frightened the colonel, though he knew something was wrong, and did not molest the " sleeping beauty." Soon the Key. W. G-. Starr was informed where the girl was, and went after her. He took her back to the college, carried her to the bedroom, ensconced her in bed, and left the room. The young lady, on awakening next morning, knew nothing of where she had perambulated or anything about her nocturnal visit.

In July last Donaldson, a well-known American aeronaut, who created some sensation upwards of a year ago by proposing to cross the Atlantic, and only drew back at the last moment, made an ascent from Chicago which has proved to be his last, the body of his companion, Grimwood,' having been found, on tha morning of the 17th inst., on the beach of Lake Michigan, 12 miles north of Montagu, in the State of Detroit. It 13 fully identified by the clothing, watch, letterbook, and other papers of the unfortunate reporter. -In his note-hook were the introductory paragraphs giving account of the ascent. They are of a facetious nature (says the New York Herald), and refer to his presentiment that he should rise in the world, and, while complimenting his companion, the aeronaut Donaldson, regrets that there were not more thau two, as he would like to belong to the Upper Ten; The notes, after describing an hour in the air, conclude with the words:—"lf we fall, we fall like Lucifer out of the heavens—and that upon our arrival upon earth, or rather upon water —as we are now in the middle of Lake Michigan—we would be literally dead."

A horrible tale, and one worthy only of the early days of Canadian backwoods life, has come from Ripon township on the CJatineau, ,a-river whidUi di«Ql»»rg6B ; ipto Ottawa cldse' byT 'Threel cßildreh of a settler residing there were destroyed by bears in open daylight. The" mother, it appears, sent two of them, little boys, out to gather some cedar brush to make brooms. They were absent so long that she became anxious, and sent a third boy to look after them. He did not return, and when their father came home'he started to look for them, supposing them to have gone astray in the woods. Horrible to relate, he found where they had been attacked and devoured by bears. He picked up a foot and one hand and some torn clothing; the rest had been carried off by thff savage brutes. Pursuit was made, but although their tracks were plain, the animals escaped. Terror pervades the few homes in that settlement, as such a case is of rare occurrence.