THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 50, 27 August 1881, Page 580

THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

— Vaughan's new barmaid is a great "draw." — Wood gets the patronage of the aristocracy and McLiver the coin of the democracy. — Maggie at the Bowen must he affecting the Hopkins drawl. — S. and G., of the Tramway, are going in to render the " Zulu" army a corps d'clitc. — I hear that some of the costumes at the fancy dress ball next month, to he held under the auspices of the Banking Club, will be rather " fast." — Local Aesthetes — " Ye fleshly poet" Postlewaite (F. Baume). "Ye lean and lank young man," Muudle (Arober Home.) — Mr T — n — r, of bulldog notoriety, says he never langs-for-d 'ear departed. Finding himself Erring (ton) he made a retro-gray-do movement. — Why will some of the Borough councillors persist in pronouncing the word " ashphalt" "ash-falt." Why don't they take a leaf out of Tom Kawson's book. — Arthur H. looked so nice — in fact, quite h-ornamental on his knees before Miss at the rink last week. Next time, dear H., to spare the lady's blushes, do it in private. — "Count" Ecclcs, of Te Aroha, was do.wn on a visit last week, and made himself quite at home among the ladies. I believe he has given the upper country best. — The patron saint of England is St George — the patron saint of the Thames is Sir George and now bless our stars and garters we find there is a Dragon to match ! — When milk-and-water Speight returns from Wellington, won't he cock-a-doodle-do over the Baron, and by soft sawder and oily gammon seek to make his calling and election sure. — A very nice scene was enacted in the Commercial room of the hotel t he other Sunday evening, in which long Dick nnd the Duchess were the principal actors. I shall probably give particulars in my next. — Miss Hickey was overheard singing the " Sweet By-and-bye" on the Parawai road one day last week. Query: Is Dolly one of Mrs Hainpson's converts 'i — The prurient-minded people of the Thames will shortly have an opportunity of listening to a pretty bit of scandal. A case of considerable interest to them will come on for hearing at the Police Court shortly. — Detective Fan-ell has put the new hobbies on the watch for the Brown-street sly grog shop. He was overheard to give the " tip" about all night hours at a corner pub. — Clara and Louey have had a "tiff" and the Brown-street refreshment rooms know the latter no more. What will the handsome chemist down the street do now 't ' — Some person must have threatened to "plug" Dick Harrison for something which appeared in the Observer, for I notice that he has written to a local paper denying that he has any connection with the society journal. — The circulation of the OBSERVER is rapidly increasing here. Copies nre snatched up immediately they are received, and on the last three occasions your agent's parcel was received not an Observer could be obtained at any of the shops on Saturday afternoon. — People are asking Avhen the performance of " The Pirates of Penzance" is to take place ? It is now some months since the local amateurs took the opera in hand, and yet there is no sign of its production in public. Perhaps Mr Owen will state when the event will take place. — In one particular only the information supplied me anent the meanness on the part of a wellknown lady here, was incorrect. In the paragraph in reference to the incident it was stated that Mr Hall's dispensary was the scene of the aifair. This was wrong. The incident occurred further down street. —The Gods be thanked. The choir of St George's Church have at last obtained good music for the responses, and about time, too. The change is very pleasant. The bass " bellowing" is not now so conspicuous as previously, but I fancy this is owing more to want of strength, than to good taste., — Mac does not always report in the most lucid manner. For instance, he stated in the " Twinkler" " that an inquest was held at Shortland on the body of Thomas S. who died suddenly beforo Dr Kilgour and the following jury." What was Mac thinking of to construct a sentence so obscurely? There was not even a parenthesis to throw a ray of light. — The ladies are greatly pleased that the Rinking Club have decided to hold a fancy dress ball, and many of them have already set about preparing their costumes. The dresses worn at the " Pinafore" and " Sorcerer" performances, will, no doubt come in handy for the economically-minded members of the Club. Several ladies nnd gentlemen from Auckland are expected to be present on the occasion. — It is said Mrs Watts cut up rough about a paragraph which appeared in the " Twinkler" on Saturday, narrating the very narrow escape which Christie Gilmer, Esq., of the Bank of New Zealand, experienced a |few days ago through smoking a cigarette which did not belong to him. I am surprised that a respectable journal like the Star should have inserted such a nonsensical, and withal, damaging article. — Several of the prominent members of the quadrille assembly committee looked very foolish after reading the letter of " A Parent," which appeared in last issue anent the advisability of allowing young women of good character to attend the weekly reunions. To say the least of it, the communication was a little too warm, although written by a friend of my own, and the father of several blooming daughters, and I am afraid it will not do the quadrille party any good. — It was small consolation to the Parawai lady whose books and curtains were damaged by the flood to be told by her spouse that " the absorption of fluids was caused by capillary attraction," this too at a time when her shoes were floating about the room and there was not a dry spot for the sole of her foot, while outside the house things were considerably mixed, the fences being blown down and the cow actually on the lawn by the front door, calmly munching the laurels. — Jack P. of the band, evidently does not believe in the advice of Weller, senr. " beware of the vidders." A few days ago some of his comrades in arms, instruments I should say — observed him making violent love to a young and prepossessing widow in oiie of the anterooms of a place of public resort in town. Jack piled it on thick, and the acts of osculation which he performed were not few and far between. The young fellows who were watching the turtle doves cooing were intensely amused at the scene, and have spread the incident about the whole town, much to the disgust of the happy pair, who have taken a firm resolve to do their nyuin nyum business in strict privacy in future. — The Rinking Club have decided to hold a grand fancy dress ball at the close of the dancing season next month. At the meeting held in the hall, Rollestonstreet last week, at which this determination was arrived at, there was a large attendance of members, President Ehrenfried occupying the chair. A very animated discussion took place as to the desirability of holding such an affair, in the course of which a well-known and highly respected Government officer astonished the meeting by the frankness of his remarks. He objected to a fancy dress ball on the score of economy, and pointed out that parents would be put to considerable expense in appropriately " rigging out" their daughters. This gentleman's remarks failedj to bear fruit, however, as the proposal was adopted.

—The election for a member of the General Assembly to represent the Thames borough promises to be a most exciting affair, and plenty of fun may be expected shortly. Mr McGowan has already announced his intention of standing, and it is not unlikely that in a few days a similar notification will be issued by the popular editor and proprietor of the Star, Mr W. McCnllough. Mr W. J. Speight, the present M.H.8,. for Auckland City East, is ahnost certain to have a go for the Thames also. These three gentlemen aie well known, having been resident in the district since tie opening of the field, and stand a yery good chance in the contest. Mr Jas. Mackay and Dr Kilgour are also spoken of, but I don't think either of them will seek the suffrages of the electors. For the Coromandel constituency, the election of a member for which will he decided by the votes in the Waiotahi, Moanataiari, and Tararua districts, and it is said that Col. Fraser, Mr Sheehan, County Chairman Brodie, and Mr A. J. Codman will be candidates. It is currently rumoured here, and I share in the belief myself, that the_ great ProConsul will betake himself to a new district and not trouble the Thames people any more.