Things in General.

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 648, 30 May 1891, Page 5

Things in General.

' The man who has no opinion is a fool ; the man who has an opinion and is afraid to express it, is a knave.'

A Sydney journalist of some repute has laid down his pen and taken up the shears— not in the sub-editorial sense, but as a tonsorial artist. May his clipping in the latter capacity be more acceptable than in the former.

It is not often, says the Blenheim Express, that bankrupts dare to make jokes at the expense of their creditors, but the latest addition to the ranks has entered the Borough Council down as his creditor, and under the heading 'occupation' he puts them down as ' gasworks.'

Ameeican journalists are responsible for publications which (says Mr Rudyard Kipling) are a lively and perfect image of a purposeless Hell. With infinite pains and the expenditure of a vast amount of money they produce day by day newspapers that ought to move a man to despair.

Mb B. L. Fabjeon, the popular novelist, spent several years of his early career in New Zealand, and had the honour of starting the first daily paper in the colony, the Otago Daily Times., Mr Farjeon not only edited the paper, but he wrote much of it, and sometimes helped to set it up, and even deliver it to subscribers.

Lewis Mobbis, the coming Poet Laureate of England, writes the follqwing stirring lines : ' Stand upright, speak thy thoughts, declare The truth thou hast, that all may share ; . Be bold, proclaim it everywhere : They only live who dare.'

She had gently re fused him, and as be turned to go she said- 'I am very .sorry, Mr Squirts, but some day you may learn to love one more worthy of you than I, and as you go to Ihe gate be careful of the dog.' • Be careful of the dog,' he repeated bitterly, and he crushed his hat down over h>s eyes, • I've been too careful of him already, and if he crosses my path to-night I'll kill him.'