THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 53, 17 September 1881, Page 6

THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

— Bob Walker lias joined the noble army of Benedicts, and will be drummed out of the brigade. — The " Granny's Own " arc going to shoot for a Cup shortly. — The engagement is announced of Mr Robinson, of Grahamstown, to Miss Keven. — Miss Mcllhone shows to great advantage in the " Aye Maria" at St. Francis' Church. — It is not true that Steve Catran is about to join the minstrel troupe. He says he couldn't " sociate with them fellers." — Tom Mangan, the lucky tributer, does not intend to enter the bonds of wedlock for at least a few months. — The Misses W.s, of Tararu-road, appeared in church on Sunday in new dresses, which suited them charmingly. — Dan Sullivan successfully combines the work of "fust leftinint," boss of the band, and trumpetmajor. — Spate, the professional elocutionist, has already several scouts of the Knight Templars on the war trail for the next election. — Query : Why does our little bank manager, light his pipe so often ? Is he afraid people don't notice that lie has learnt to smoke ? — Phil Weston finds his present lodgings too Tiot for him, and is leaving for fresh fields and pastures green. — After working hard for four hours, Pat's son ■was offered half a red herring for his dinner by a wealthy timber merchant's wife. — Heron intends to command the Battalion ■before he has done with it. I think he would do well to stick to No. 1 Company, and leave the "gentlemen's sons" to their own Perry-lcras choice. — The Observer observed the splendid tactics of a certain young gentleman on Sunday evening. But it was too bad to give Lizzie the tip that way, Bob, although we all know sisters are do trop occasionally. — It not generally known that Miss S., of the Star of Thames Lodge of Good Templars, has come into ■ a fortune of £10,000, left her by her uncle in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. — I admire Mrs X.'s pluck. On hearing that the Toole Club had fixed on her practice night for their performance, she made a house-to-house canvas of the members of her singing class and succeeded in getting the majority of them to attend to their duties instead of going elsewhere for amusement. — We have a lady on the Thames who cannot descend to the ordinary level of humanity by saying to her servant girl, "Bella, make the tea." She used to, but, after reading attentively the advice of "poultry, prunes, and prism," Mrs General considers the phrase vulgar. She now says : "Isabella, oblige me by infusing the tea." — Scene : Pollen-street. Time : Sunday evening. Little girl— Please, sir, can I get some milk at the dairy to-night ? Stranger— l don't know, indeed. Little girl— l thought you could tell me, sir. Stranger— What made you think so, my little dear ? Little girl—' Cause, sir, mother told me you was important on dairies. Stranger— Do you know me, then? Little girl— Yes, sir; you're Dr . Stranger ejaculates — That fellow; I should think not. (Then to little girl, who was hastily making tracks)— No, my child ; I'm not Dr by three coats, four waistcoats, a muffler, and two pairs of breeches. — Four- or five " frolicsome oysters " were about early on Friday morning, and did considerable havoc to a number of windows and door knockers in Pollen-street before they had finished. They were pounced upon by a gentleman m blue at 3.30 a.m., whilst quaffing sundry glasses of double-distilled in a well-known pub., and. narrowly escaped being locked up for abusive language. The larrikins, for such they were, belong to the "hupper suckles," and two of them are Benedicts, with small but rapidly increasing families. Their behaviour on the occasion referred to has been the theme of conversation here for some days, and it is not improbable we shall hear more about their little pranks in a few days. — Mac, of the Evening Star, has got himself into hot water over some very severe and uncalled for strictures which appeared in that journal a few days ago regarding the conduct of the local police force, and more especially Constable Dunn. Some of the statements contained in the article in question were untrue, and, to say the least of it, it was very odd behaviour on the part of a newspaper man to assail a newlyarrived guardian of the peace because his first case had failed. That the constable was justified in laying the information Mr McCulloch admits in a subsequent issue, but, be it marked, he has not the courtsey to apologise to the man for the harm which he had undoubtedly done him a day or two previously. The matter has been warmly taken up byseveral correspondents in the opposition paper, who, one and all, condemn Mr McCulloch's attack on the force. — About forty ladies and gentlemen assembled in St. George's schoolroom on Thursday week to witness the production of the farce, entitled, " Dobbs' Wooing" by the Toole Club, the designation given to an amateur theatrical company. The performance went off pretty smoothly, but was not nearly so great a success as the Club s first attempt some time ago. The characters were wretchedly caste, and there was a complete want ot stage management. The title role was assumed by Mr Arthur Home, who was completely out of water in it, and I am convinced that whatever talent he may possesses of a very different order ; in fact he excels in low comedy. Mr Home seemed to make little attempt to act the heavy " swell, but merely played a sort of mixture between that and the "honesty is the best p 2 li S r " sorfc of fellow - As a foil to his eccentric rival Mr Baume sustained the character of , the wealthy button manufacturer, with spirit— rather too niucrr spirit, in fact. Moreover, the impersonation showed lack of study In his performance there was too much tragedy and too little comedy, whereas the part is essentially comic, and should, with careful acting have bronght down the house. Mr Gudgeon as Squire Farrowfield, and Sir Frank Puckey as the Major, acquitted themselves fairly well. The former, in the opinion of those present, rather overdid the agony scene Miss Coney looked well as the fair young widow, and Miss Puckey made a charming Lulncy In concluding, I may say that, considering the youth of the principal performers.they acted passably; and, with careful study and attention to details, they may yet make their mark, as the saying is, in their particular line of comedy I would take this opportunity, in the event of the Club recasting the farce, of impressing on the management the absolute necessity of casting Mr Home as the button manufacturer, and Mr Baume as Dobbs thus reversing the characters which those gentlemen assumed on Thursday week. Several amusing incidents took place during the evening notably one in which Mr J. E. Turner, the prompter was the chief actor. This gentleman, whilst endeavouring to move his chair backward, in order to escape observation, shifted it just one inch too far and fell through the curtain into the lap of the Duchess, who was sitting m one of the front seats quietly fanning herS %, foolish air with which he gathered himself up and rushed under cover a<*ain was by no means lost on the audience, who were convulsed with laughter for several minutes. At 10 o'clock dancing was started and the votaries of Tepsiehore tripped it on the light fantastic for several hours. Refreshments were served at intervals, and, being of the best description, received full justice