GATHERINGS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3950, 15 December 1880, Page 3

GATHERINGS.

The wharf at Wellington yields a clear profit of £3000 a year. There is more active fun in an ounce of kitten than in a ton of elephant. A Kaiapogian was astonished the other day to find the telephone could, talk French. He said he thought it was an English invention. Twenty-one young girls of Kenosha, Winconsin, have "Resolved, that if the young men won't come and see us, we will go and see them." And the young men are stepping down and out and taking to the woods. The following advertisement appeared in an Irish newspaper :— " This is to notify Patrick O'Flaherty, who lately left his lodgings, that if he does not return soon and pay for the came he will be advertised." One of the Directors of the Titanic Steel and Iron Company is shortly to visit New Plymouth with the object of inspecting the works at the Henui, and it is possiblo that some arrangements may be made for another trial of smelting the iron-sand. A rich find of coarse gold was got in J. Fullerton's claim laßt week at the Seventeenmile Lead. 220z. were washed with the dish in pieces from 6oz. downwards. The yield from the wash-dirt in the paddock will likely be extra good, other pieces being expected to show up. He was saying, as he scratched a lucifer on the side of a houße, " I like these houses with sanded paint ; nice when you want to strike a match, you know." "Is that so?" she asked demurely ; " I wish I lived in a house with sanded paint," and then she looked things unutterable. If he had asked " What for ?" she would have hated him. But ho didn't ; he took the hint, and the match was struck then and there.

Hundreds of thousands of sheep, if not millions, have died of the plague in England, and the Russian, Turkish, and Afghanistan wars, as well as those of Turkey, Syria, Persia, and Tridan country, have caused tens of millions of sheep to be killed. In fact, wool-growing in Turkey, Russia, Persia and India have been almost given up on account of the wars an 1 the low prices current for the past five years.

They were waltzing 'round the ball-room gay, Made bright with lights and mirrors fine ; She turned her face from him away. " Pray, what's the matter, darling mino ? Has what I'vo said given the offence P Has aught I've done estranged thy heart ? Turn not from me your sweet face hence — I can not, can not, from thee part !" " How foolish, Fred ! you know I'm fond ; And aB we pass yon 'pier-glass bright, I only look from you beyond To see if my new drees hangs right."

A portrait of Miss Dobie, which perhaps does not do justice to this unfortunate lady, shows a face of ordinary type ; an intellectual forehead, short nose, heavy chin, a placid intelligent expression, with no sort of romance. There is many a face which a sculptor would not choose for its lines, but which lights up with interesting sweetness, and wears a domestic charm which could not be found in classical types of beauty. Miss Dobie's tastes were artistic, aB the public know : sho was aho a vigorous walker, and has often been seen striding through fern and flax with the dash of a grenadier.

A. Btranger eat in a corner of an American railwey carriage, in an easy attitude, his feot upon a large black trunk. The gentlemanly conductor, going hie rounds, afc the first station politely informed the stranger that the trunk must be put into the luggage car, to which the stranger made no reply. At the Beeond station the vexed conductor imperatively told the stranger that ho must put the trunk into tho luggage car, or it would be removed from the train, to which the 6tranger made no reply. At tho third etation the irate conductor had the trunk removed, and left. The stranger eaid nothing. At the fourth station the molliGed conductor, addressing the strancer, begged him to remember that he had but done his duty, and that his action waß solely the et ranger's fault, to which the stranger laconically replied, "Don't care, 'taint my trunk."

Tho Melbourno pnblie will shortly have an opportunity of hearing another well-known English scientific lecturer. Mr W. Lant Carpenter, 8.A., B>'c„F.O.S. (son of tho celebrated Dr Carpenter, C.8.,F.R.5. kc), who is now on a visit to Melbourne, contemplates delivering one or moro lectures on scientific subjects, treated in a popular manner, among which will probably be the " Daily practical applications of electricity in America," and "Life in the ocean depthe." From Mr Carpenter's personal experienco and knowledge of these and liko matters, and from his long practice as a lecturer in England, a scientific treat may be expected. His lecture on "How the Anicricane uee electricity " was pronounoed by tho precs of Sydney to be one of the most interesting lectures tliat had been delivered there forß very long time.