THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 64, 3 December 1881, Page 186

THAMES TITTLE TATTLE

/ — " Our" Rosie's new hat suits her to aT. — Jack M. says that Mary D. is a " caulker." — Mr Win. Scott, of the firm of Fulljames and Scott, is said to be engaged to Miss F. — Willie Hollis, on his piebald charger, is the cynosure of all the fair sex of the town. — One of the brokers is said to be sweet on old IYs housekeeper. Look out old man for short commons. — A Volunteer celebrity here advertises in an Auckland paper for a child' to adopt. He probably ■wishes to teach the young idea how to shoot. — Mrs Gudgeon appeared in town the other day in a very becoming dress composed of no less than six or seven different coloured materials. — Johnny Poulgrain felt highly pleased at tho reference made to his euphonious Christian cognomen "by Bishop Cowie at tho Tnrarn service on Sunday. — It is considered to be a settled tiling between •Miss McD., of the Catholic choir, and the handsome new schoolmaster. — Tom Mnngan is becoming an excellent hand at nursing people— especially young ladies. Miss D. has quite recovered under his gentle treatment. — Jim Parslow is very proud of the "medal" presented to him for bravery displayed whilst at the front, and on Saturday carted it round Queen-street for the inspection of " the boys." — Mr Robert Leslie Avas united to the lady of his choice (Miss Nellie Waite) on Wednesday. "The ceremony was performed by the Rev. T. W. Anderson, at the residence of the bride's mother. — Jim Balcke has left for Te Aroha to assume the management of a store there. Jim is a nice, obliging fellow, and will, doubtless, soon ingratiate himself into the good graces of the up-country residents. — That famous piece of poetical composition, " The Charge of the Light Brigade," wa3 recited at the Volunteer dinner in the Bowen last week, by Charlie Gordon, and being given in a thrilling manner fairly electrified tho audience. —Mr Speight's address to the electors of the Thames last week was, without doubt, the finest ever delivered by that gentleman on the Thames, and much care and thought had evidently been bestowed on its ■preparation. ■ — The pubs have done a roaring trade since the return of the Thames warriors. Long beers must have been very scarce at Parihaka, judging from the quantity of malt liquor consumed by the soldier laddies during the past few days.

— It certainly did not look well for a certain tradesman in Sho'rtland to keep his shop open on the evening of the day that his wife breathed her lost. His callousness was the subject of remark by the neighbours for several days after the occurrence. ■ — John Gilpin's famous ride from London to Plingtou was equalled, if not excelled, by the memorable journey of Joe Williams, mine host of the Provincial, and a well-known civic dignitary, from Shortland to Ohinemuri the other day. — Scene : BroAvn-strcct. Drunken busliman to Volunteer officer : " Hullo, how bee'st thee ? They tell inethouart a captain now." Captain: "Fact, I can assure you." Backswoodsman : "Well, well, I would na' ha' believed it if you had na' tould me." — A friend informs me that there "were ructions at the flower show, in consequence of some of the lady exhibitors considering that the prizes had not been fairly awarded. The position of a judge at a baby show is said to be an unenviable one, but what must it be at a horticultural exhibition ? — My predictions regarding the hearty reception which the new chaplain would meet with at the hands of the local corps of blue jackets were fully verified on Sunday last. The jolly tars mustered at their hall last Sunday evening over 120 strong, and marched to church to show their appreciation of the new parson. — Amongst the street dresses which I have noticed lately may be mentioned the following : — Miss Nellie Douglas, cream-coloured oatmeal cloth, trimmed with cardinal, and toque trimmed with black ; Mrs Dodd, black cashmere, showing off her fine figure to advantage; Miss Ginn, light blue satin, and Mrs W. Carpenter, tight-fitting black velvet. — A young man resident on the Thames is about to' enter into a matrimonial alliance with the step-daughter of his brother — the daughter of the latter's spouse by a former marriage. What complications in the relationships there will be when the young couple fin yrosyectu) fulfil the divine injunction to " increase and multiply." — Pat Hennessy (an Eye-talian from Tipperary) tells me that he never enjoyed such glorious times as he did at Parihaka. " Begorra, byes," he remarked to an admiring circle of urchins a few days ago, " I believe it was the sight of the way we slashed into the praties and pork that scared the blamed niggers into submishun." - — On dit that St. George's Church choir intend to discard the new responses of which they have been making such a frightful muddle during the last few weeks, and again resort to the more congregational edition formerly in use. It is to be hoped the advent of a new and musically-inclined clergyman will signalise an improvement In the rendition of the church singing, which is at present fur from perfection. — A friend of mine suggests that it might be a profitable transaction for Prophet Wood were he to buy out the infallible seer who predicted the flood on the night of Speight's meeting. If the worthy William, had given a forecast of the event, sill his followers on the Thames would have been quailing in expectancy of the fulfilment of his prophecies regarding the end of all things mundane. The old gentleman will need to hide his diminished head before the ability of the new blood. — During their stay here some of the Auckland Volunteers behaved themselves disgracefully, and the citizens were heartily pleased when these worthies shook the dust of Quartzopolis, and returned to the city. I don't say that nil the men who joined the Thames contingent in Auckland have been misbehaving themselves — far from it — but it is a fact which cannot be gainsaid — that many of them have acted very nnsoldierlike since their return from Parihaka, and should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. ■ — The jovial Bruin was so elated at the paragraph in lost week's OnSERVEii referring to his churchgoing proclivities, that he offered to " shout" for your own, and in order to show " the boys " what a good example he had been setting them in religious matters, purchased all the spare copies of your journal that came within his reach, for distribution after dismissal from parade. Perhaps Alick's praiseworthy conduct had a good deal to do with the fine muster of bluejackets at church last Sunday. The conduct of a certain Volunteer oflicer whilst at the front is said to have been tyrannical, and and if the veracity of my informimt can be relied uxion, the matter should be brought under the notice of the proper authorities with a view to an inquiry being made into the affair. I have been assured that Lieut. frequently made use of profane nnd disgusting language to the meu whilst on parade, and on one occasion so fur forgot himself as to kick a young fellow who had annoyed him in some way or other. If this is the way my oflicer friend amused himself whilst at Parihaka, it is time his commission was taken from him. — There was quite a scene at the Naval Hall on Monday evening, in consequence of a dispute between Major Withers and the Thames Field Forces as to the payment of half-a-day's " screw." The men alleged that they were entitled to three shillings more than the amount on the cheques handed to them, and kicked up a shine on being informed that they would not receive another sixpence. One stalwart member of the Naval Brigade went so far as to suggest that the gallant "inajah" should be chastised for his action in the matter; but fortunately his comrades were possessed of too much sense to act on such an outrageous proposal, and the men dispersed after giving vent to their feeliags in language more forcible than polite. — It is generally believed that Mr MorganMorris, late of the Advertiser, nnd a bosom friend of the Rev. T. L. Davis, was the author of tho article which recently appeared in a contemporary nnent the very serious charge preferred against the rev. gentleman in reference to the printing of a sermon on behalf of the Wardens of the Congregational Church. The explanation of " Paul Pry " is too lame, and those persons who take an interest in the squabble will, no doubt, draw their own deductions from the effusion of the man who has adopted the above voin Ac pi umo as a cloak of disguise, instead of pursuing the more manly course of affixing his signature to a communication, the contents of which he wished the public to accept as perfectly true. ______