SKETCHES IN WELLINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 727, 21 September 1870, Page 2

SKETCHES IN WELLINGTON.

. _ — : — .O, {From the Wellington Advertiser.) My dear and amusing friends are dropping off one by one, and the House looks quite thin and deserted. As usual, " when the oat's away the mice will play," and some three or four of the little animals have been so frisky during the last day or two as to be positively annoying. There is one short thickset little mouse who appears to have a particular dislike to the portly gentleman in the velveteen coat, and haß taken a constant delight in nibbling viciously at hi* measures. When I took my station in the Strangers' Gallery some time ago, I observed this mouse waddle up to the Colonial Treasurer, and in a loud squeak say something about " Otago Hundreds." That portly gentleman gave an angry snap at him, and mousie ran to cover as fast as he could. A person behind me said he belonged to the genus Quilp. but the detective, who is better informed, said he did not, and that he was once upon a time a public benefactor. I asked for information, having an eye to future communication with tbat mouse, and learned that a few years ago the goldfields of Otago were suffisring from great depression, and many of the miners were literally starving, when this mouse brought out all his Btores, and distributed them without payment to the starving people— nearly ruining himself in doing so. For a wonder the public proved grateful, and sent him to tbe House as a mark of their esteem. Go then, little mouse, you Bhall bs free from any hostile chaff from me, and if at times you are captious, and obstructive, and factious, I will think of the good you have done,. and hope experience will give you more political wisdom. There is another little mouse who has a very wooden manner — his only effort at liveliness appears to be shrugging his left shoulder. He has a weakness for moving amendments which have either been carried an hour before, or are in no way pertinent to the matter before the House. When he is clearly told he has made a mistake, he is in no way disconcerted, but, with a shrug and a smile, Bits down with an air of having really done something for the country. That young Tiger from tbe Westland jungles haß been lashing his tail and making himself generally obnoxious during the last day or two ; in this he bas been aided and abetted by 'cute young rat from the same part of the country. Standing in front of the door, they refused to allow anyone to leave, and when the Treasurer tried to put a Government measure through, the one growled and the other bit so savagely th it at first the other members were rather alar .ned ; as they saw, however, it was an attempt to prevent their going home in order that these two might enjoy tho plei-

's^ntWellington pastures a little longer— they made a tush and put the Tiger and 'cute rat into a cage along with two other obstructives. "- \lt dittos not or ten fall to the lot of a great writer'tb hear incognito all sorts of criticisms oh his works, but I have enjoyed that advantage. The one that struck me most was from an eminent Wellington merchant, who, whilst enjoying his morning glass of English beer, observed to a friend " That vagabond fellow is not classical, but very amusing." Fancy my being classical, considering any amount of tutors nearly broke their hearts trying to teach me how to construe the easiest lines in Virgil. Why, to this day I never can remember the difference between a dactyl and a spondee. Why should I? What on earth would be the use of it to such a hopeless vagabond as I am ? No, my good mercantile critic, I never aimed at being classical, butl did hope to be amusing, and in some measure it appears I have succeeded. I hope, too, I have been inoffensive; if I thought I had been the means of wounding anyone's feelings, I would lay my pen down for ever— for would there not be a " spot of rust upon it ? " I know nothing of the rules of art, but I have a dim idea of having read somewhere, that to produce a satisfactory picture the light and shade should be delicately blended, and that violent contrasts are to be avoided. Well, I could not help violating that rule, because it is not applicable to the colony. Here everything is in violent contrast, aud the artist must make the best of his materials. Moneybags I sketched as a type of a class unfortunately too common with us. The character was not intended for any particular person, and I ventured, as a contrast, to •ketch that good lecturer, who unfortunately represents, not a class, but a noble few, who keep honour -and virtue alive in our hearts, which would otherwise be tainted and corrupted by the pestiferous selfishness of the Moneybags tribe. And now, my very dear and amusing friends of the General Assembly, it is time to say good bye for the present. For the fun I have enjoyed in your House,! sincerely thank you, and as I Bhall meet some of you (alas, not all) again next year, I hope to complete the vagabond sketches of your noble selves. I know there is nothing so difficult to believe in as the existence of goodness in other people ; but do, please, give me credit for having sought to draw you without a particle of malice or ill will, and if there be one of you who thinks I have made an ungenerous Bketoh of bim, lam willing to go down on my knees and cry peccavi. Adieu, adieu ; next year some of us will meet again; a— — _— m.^»-___________________