PERSONAL

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 27, 19 March 1881, Page 4

PERSONAL

— Spurgeon has again been very ill, — Quite right, Mr. Branie. There are occasions when " silence is golden." — Mr. Winter seems likely to make a "pot of money" out of the "Taupo's"' recovery—Sir Frederick Roberts, the hero of the Afghan war, is a Good Templar and staunch teetotaller. — Arthur Lewis and his bride were at All Saints' Church last Sunday. — It is said that Captain Thomas shed tears ! on leaving his friends at New Plymouth. 1 — Who would have thought that a church* warden could go astray '1 — Alf P. says he won't carry any more little girls in his arms. Why 'i —It was from Graves Aicken's house the wedding party started. — A well-known draper of P., whom we shall call T., whs heard to say on Monday night, that he would walk Mick Gallagher for anything he liked. — Charlie McC. was left at the Thames, suffering from a iin\i attack of love. Now we can account for the duck in the Australian match. — The Baroness Burdett-Coutts has settled £30,000 on her youthful husband. Not much this for marrying an old woman with bad breath. — Mr. Herbert Flower, who ran away with Lady Dupplin some years ago, and was the hero of the subsequent divorce case, is dead. — 11. A. Proctor's new book, " The Poetry of Astronomy" is splendidly reviewed by the literary weeklies. It is said to be very interesting. — If Dr. and Mrs. Harvey are dismissed from the Howe-street Home, the public will think it is because they found out too much. —-Miss .1. B y, the belle of Stokes' Point, and Mr. H., of the Bank of N. Z., are likely to have the banns put up very soon. — The philosopher of St. James's Association was awfully disgusted at the rejection of his noconfidence motion by such an overwhelming majority. — Mr. W. Cooper says the committee of the St. James's Mutual Improvement Association consists of six autocrats. — Captain Thomas has returned from his five week's leave of absence. The Customs officials do not appear to have gone mad with joy in consequence. — A marriage between Mr. John R. and Miss C, two members of St. Andrew's Church, will shortly take place. — Miss Buller, daughter of the Rev. James Buller, author of " Forty Years in New Zealand," is in Auckland just now, visiting her friends. — The Bureau {alias W. B. Langbridge) has gone to Taurnnga. We wonder what his little game is there. Something connected with the new local paper they say. — Mr. James Birchall, the oldest printer in New Zealand, died at Wauganui the other day. Deceased assisted in bringing out the first newspaper printed in the colony. — Dr. Cinders, of Tauranga, has grown some fine beds of tobacco in his garden at Bean Site and even, made cigitrs from it. The B. P. Tttjics thinks the industry might be pushed, if the prohibitive duty on the growth of the plant were removed. — Mick Gallagher's rig ont for the two-mile walking match last Saturday, was immensely admired by the ladies present. The tight-fitting jersey and silk continuations showed off the Apollo-like lines of his manly form to perfection. — Papa-in-law sent a very reasonable telegram asking that the wedding might be delayed till he returned to town, and there was a consultation about matters. Unfortunately or fortunately the message didn't come to hand till all was over. — No, young ladies, Miss Williamson, or rather Mrs. James Philson, will not have to do without a Iroutwcaii. Au contraire, she has a very handsome one, which was purchased with a view to the projected visit to England, and which (being a woman) she took good care not to leave behind when she left the Pah. — When the mail left 'Frisco, George Davrell, supported by Lilian Andrews (better known as " Tilly") was playing at the Baldwin Theatre, in " Back from the Grave." The News Letter thinks Darrell a " personable" young man, but says there is too much " talkee talkee" in the play. — On his arrival in England, Mr. R. A. Proctor will be appointed to organise the various Government expeditions for the observation of the transit of Venus in 1882. Mr. Proctor is also mentioned as the probable successor to the Astronomer Royal, whose early retirement is predicted in scientific circles. — George Elliot's Christian name was Mary Ann. Sul-ely, she was great enough and glorious enough to have ennobled even that commonplace appellation. Yet all the obituary notices refer to her as either "Marion" or "Marian." I suppose Shakespeare was wrong, and there is something in a name, after all. — A Mr. Ribbald, of Christchnrch, secured the £50 offered by an Oainaru advertiser to the person who first named the placed horses in the Dunedin Cup ; and he did so four days after the prize was advertised. An Ashburton resident also " spotted" the horses, but (adds the North Otago Times) he failed to comply with the conditions. — Mr. Ritchie, the baker who took Abbott's second prize in the Dunedin Cup sweep, is also the lucky winner of the first prize on the great event at Wangauui. He has for a long time past taken three tickets in all Abbott's consultations, but never had any luck till the Dunedin meeting. His winnings amount to over £300. — It is about as certain as anything having reference to a woman can be, that Mrs. Langtry intends to go upon the stage in consequence of alleged incompatibility of household temperament. The "Jersey Lily" has well-nigh completed arrangements to odorise in the Prince of Wales' s Theatre, London, in a play specially made ready for her by F. C. Burnand and her debtit will cause an immense sensation. — Major George has greatly improved the appearance of the house at Epsom, which he bought from Mr. Joseph May. A good story is told in connection with the house, as it was when first erected, an ugly house, standing on an eminence, with not a tree near it. Mr. May was at the time, Deputy Superintendent, and two or three of the Southern members having been in Auckland on a visit, he accompanied them to CJnehunga, pointing out the various places of interest, and telling them to whom the houses they passed belonged. When they were near Mr. May's house, one of the strangers said, " Who owns that ugly barn-like house, Mr. May ?" " That, was the reply, belongs to your humble servant, the Deputy Superintendent." The stranger said he did. not mean to say that the house was exactly ugly, but that it looked bare for want of trees near it, but Mr. May told him that he did not need to apologise, as he quite agreed with him that the house looked both ugly and barn-like.