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Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2070, 20 May 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

Freedom of thought being intimately connected with the happiness and dignity of man in every stage of hie being, is of bo much more importance than the preservation ot any constitution, that to infringe the former under pretence of supporting the latter, ie to eacrifioe the means to the end.

Gypsies’ National Danco —The national dance of the gypsies when seen by night in an encampment of squalid tents has a wild and startling effect. The group is seated around the fire which has cooked their evening meal, and whose flickering rays reveal the picturesque features of these simple children of nature. They listen intently to the music which is their perennial entertainment. Presently a wild female form darts forward to commence the danoe. She is scantily dressed, and the rags drawn around her bosom envelop an infant of tender age.

Placing her band upon her lips she moves quickly right and left, advancing and retiring in a sidelong direction. The music becomes quicker, her movements increase in rapidity, and the clapping of bands and cries of her dusky companions rouse her to a frenzy of excitement. Her gestures are impassioned, her eyes fiery and the hair stands erect upon her head. She utters rapidly strange word* of an unknown tongue to a tunc still mors Strange and uncouth. The tawny infant stems to be inspired with the same (lend and cries and foams at the month like the mother. The dancer snatches the infant from her bosom, throws it in the air and allows the creature to fall into her outstretched arms. Her voice falters, her movements become less rapid, and overcome by exertion and excitement this unearthly eong and dance terminate amid the frantic shouts of her companions.

A Strong Cigar- " Don't care if I do, stranger. Thants. Strong? Ys*. tollable. Strongest cigar 1 ever smoked ? (Puff, puff.) Mo, 'tain't. (Puff, puff) Mot by a long shot. What was the strongest cigar I ever smoked 7 Well, I'll tell yon. It was so strong that it knocked some of my teeth out. You don't believe it ? Wait till you hear the particulars. It was way back in 'G3. I was with the army of the Potomac, and we were closin’ up on Lee in Richmond. I was on picket duty one night, when I got to hankerin’ for a cigar. II was agin orders to smoke on the picket line, but I couldn’t stand it; so 1 dived down into the treneh and lit my weed. Then I relumed to my beat puffing away as happy as conU be. It was a very dark night, an’ everything quiet, and I was just flatterin’ myself that there was no danger in a smoke, when wist > bang 1 and that oigar of mine went to pieces an' I felt a prickly pain in my mouth, I felt, an’ a oonple of teeth were gone. Pretty strong oigar that, eh ? Loaded ? No; but the rite o’ that ere Johnny Reb was, and right hen on my cheek is where the ball com oat. II the ash hadn’t fall off that oigar I would has* two more teeth in my head to-day.