FLOTSAM AND JETSAM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5750, 29 September 1897, Page 3

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM.

"Did, lord, IlicrcV no iimiiliaj irk/ one kan: llioiijli (o Ire sure, / hud Ihit, on my jooit miHority."—MiisUaxdouii in School for Scandal. WmiNGTox, Monday. TIIE OPSSISO OF P.UIMAMEXT. There was something dismally proj phctic of the coming session in the weather thnt prevailed on the day of the opening of Parliament. It was a six-hnt-pin day. In Sydney, they measuro the heat by the collars you use and a ftvc-colinr-day is really rather warm. The wind simply howled around catching you unawares at corners, and blinding yon with dust. It wailed like n banshee round the buildings. But inside .the Legislative Chamber, one longed for a breath of it again. The . atmosphere resembled a Turkish Bath '*' with a dash of Ihc Black Hole of Calcutta, and one groaned for an open window.

It was only by standing on the very tips of my toes and craning my neck until I feel sure it is \permancnlly lengthened that I could gain a glimpse, from the gallery, of the floor of the Legislative Chamber. My view was limited, bounded on Ihe east by a picture hat-a very large-sized one - and on the west by a bonnet with ngravatingly active osprejs and llowcrs. Behind me were two more rows of unfortunates who could see nothing at all, save the galleries all round crowded-except the reporters*—with stately dames and tailor-made girls. Even in the press gallery there were a few Indies. Down below, near the throne, were gathered a cluster of sombre frocks and brighter bonnets. In the front rank sat Lady lianfurly, in silver-grey satin, the bodice draped across with softly-falling cream lace. She wore a rose-pink hat and curried a pretty white bouquet. Her little daughter had on a scarlet frock and white hat. On the crimson-leather scats sat the Councillors, a vision of silver heads and immaculate shirt-fronts, e.'ilenlalcd loinspire respect in the most frivolous, They chatted; iheladies whisperedithrattcndants trotted up and down, and the clock pointed relentlessly to live minutes past the appointed hour, but there was no sign of His Excellency. Tlicy were yery long minutes, too, as you can understand if you put yourself in my place, and endeavor to make yourself six inches taller than a generous Kntiircbas already, while two substantial men at your back are trying to disprove an axiom of Euclid's that two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same lime. The cannons roared and we all jumped. But seven minutes passed and he came not. " Can't find his boots" said a little man at my back, who kept up a cheerful countenance although he could see nothing. At last the speaker whispered reassuringly to the Countess, the people rose, and in came His Excellency! i\'o one wondered he was late, for his attire was very gorgeous. His cocked Jul, with its ruHlc of while feathers, coat brilliant with gold embroidery, shining while silk breeches and stockings and court shoes wilh buckles, formed a most becoming dress and any splendour of feminine fripperies present paled before this. He had a military escort whose handsome uniforms made the group round the dais most picturesque. vYe heard afterwards the reason for his being a little late. His horses refused twice to enter the gates of Parliament Buildings. They were frightened by the guns and took Ihc Governor an exciting little drive twice round the block before their equine minds could be calmed down sufficiently to recognise their duty. Someone who saw Lord lianfurly being whirled away past the gates said lie seemed to enjoy the impromptu entertainment. As His Excellency took his seat, an officer stood on cither side of him, one brilliant in scarlet and gold and white topee, the oilier in black and gold with busby. Above his head were the Jtoyal Arms, and on either side mysterious crimson curtains veiled sanctums sacred to the Councillors. It seemed another weary wait before the next excitement came on. A thump, thump, thump was at last heard. "Thai's Dick!" said the little man at the hack, who, as lie couldn't see, was concentrating all his energies into his cars. And then came in the familiar forms and faces, many of them grim with the shadow of the coming light, a few indifferent, and a few cheerful. Like the beggars that were coming lo town, their garb was varied. The douce black coat, the jaunty tweed, even a frivolous JSorfolk jacket could be seen. A good many hands were in Ihe pockets —pockets belonging to Ihc hands, I beg to explain. And there they stood, headed by the Speaker's imposing black-robed figure. That very morning, down in his Southern home, one of their comrades, Mr H. S, Fish, had passed away. I remember his entering the House of J'cprcsentatiyes for the last time before the Premier went Home. He looked so ill, and yet so pleased to be once more on his old baltle-ground.and friends and foes in politics hastened to giye him kindly greeting, to which he could give back no answer save a grip of his hand. It was a pathetic little scene to one who had known what power and capacity had been possessed by (hat man who would ring out no more bis fluent utterances in the House. The Governor has an extremely pleasant voice. He never seems to raise it, but it is possible to hear every word without difficulty. He read his speech sitting. It would have been more imposing had he stood, but some frightful breach of etiquette might have been made had he done so. He got very bravely and wonderfully successfully oyer the few Maori names that occurred in his speech, but was evidently greatly relieved to get back again to commonplace English. Then the roll of paper containing what he had said was handed to Mr Speaker, the Governor descended from the dais, the commons divided, and followed by Ins escort, he passed out. Then came a stampede down the stairs. From a passage window we could sec the artillery men discharging their guns. The white tiails of smoke rose and floated across the trees, and the touches of searlet in the uniforms showed up well against the green of the shrubbery. In front of the central entrance stood the Governor's carriage, the footmen at the door. And (lie crowds clustered at the windows, and hung on lo the doorways, and waited lor the viccliceal parly to come out. Every now and then a vicious blast of wind would come snooping down, carrying dust and gravel and any other trifles that arc liftablc, mid dash against the wretched people who were waiting as if longing to driyc them to their homes. By-and-by a' messenger came and whispered importantly to the stalely footman. Not a muscle of that functionary's countenance relaxed as lie listened. Then he made a communication solemnly to the coachman, took his place beside him on the box with great deliberation were not Ihe eyes of Europe, I mean Wellington, upon them —and drove off, the empty carriage being followed by (he artillerymen wilh their guns drawn by the strong horses. The crowd, except for an occasional exclamation.borc up under the disappointment, and went home. . TOTTKHIKO TMHA PIMA.

There is humour even in nn earthquake after it has happened. The anxious enquiries—by telephone—as to ■whether you had felt it, and what effect it had on you; the piteous appeal of a small child in the street to- a strange man, asking liim if it was "all oyer"; the cyclist who suddenly found himself sittiDg on the ground, and who rode no more that night; there is something amusing in all of these, -provided you are. not a telephone girl,the small ehild.or the <:yelist.Thcrearctwoclassosofpeoplcwho areirritatinglysuperioroverlhewaytliey 'encounter an earthquake. One takes no notice of it, treat it with silontoonlempt, and goes on calmly with his or |jcr work •or play as if there was no sickening •wobble of terra firma. The other collapses' into hysterics, and howls "that 4oud "—as one person informed me—-

"lliat my next door neighbour enmc niniiin 1 in, ami saiil as W I scared her wuss thnn the earthquake!" For myself, 1 belong to the happy mean, and do not brag at all either of my comiiosure nor of my consternation. It illicit have been worse. I was reading (lie account of the late Indian I earthquakes, and their frightful effects resulting in loss of life as well as of properly. One sick woman in a hospital was, it is stated, pitched out of a secondstorey window, ami arrived on the ground right-sidc-up with her bed still underneath her. Many European ladies —unable to gel sleeping-quarters—spent the awful night after the catastrophe, silting on packing-cases in front of their shattered dwellings lo guard the remnants of their cooils from being pilfered. And the editor of the Mkn Mail gives a pathetic account of the enterprise of his staff. The oliice was in ruins, but so that the public-many of whom were wandering homeless about the streets—might not be disappointed of theiv paper, it was printed outside, and (lie editor describes himself sit'ing in the blazing sun writing, in momentary expectation of being immolated under several lons of masonry. A friend of mine has an intimale acquaintance with earthquakes. In his case familiarity has not bred contempt. Years ai,"j he was on one of the .steamers that plied up and down the South American west coast. The steamer generally left a revolution in the north, and arrived dining an earthquake in the 'south. Politically and physically that country can rarely be said to stand still. My friend said that a very common instinct with many when an earthquake is felt is to seize something and rush outside. (Half (lie peopleof Wellington j did the latter the other evening.) He was lit a grand dinner-parly, and the ominous rumble and sickening million were experienced. One lady who was seated opposite a large cheese, snatched it up and hurried out into the darkness. | A little while after ho met the Senora wandering vacantly about in lier elaborate evening gown, still clasping close Ihc cheese. She may have belicyed there was some magic virtue in it that rendered her proof against the perils of an earthquake. Some people believe a potato kept in the pocket it sovereign cure for rheumatism. 1 knew i lady who had a large " spud" in the pocket of every gown she had. Happening to put on one she had not worn for some lime, she found a line healthy plant trailing out. Earthquakes in Fern are generally accompanied by the dreaded tidal wave, so disastrous in its effects on those narrow, low-lying shores. The same man told me he once reached a port after an earthquake and a lidal wave hud wreaked their wild wills on it. Of all the vessels in the harbour, only one was riding safely at anchor. The others were wrecks, and their crews and captains drowned. The town was under water, and many of (he houses levelled. The house where he had an invitation to dine that very evening was a mass of ruins half under water, and floating there with face upturned was the body of a little child. All was hideous desolation and silence, for those who had escaped hud lied to the hills. HOME, SWEET HOME.

Many efforts are being made to suppress the terrible social evil that exists in Wellington. After all, it is homo influence that would be the strongest factor ill eradicating it. There arc little children who spend their evenings playing in ihc streets. For them there seems no cheerful hearth, or cozy room wilh all the delights of family intercourse, " books and work and healthful play." Instead, they have the grimy, refuse-strewn road and the noisy laughter and foul words that must go far towards sirircliing the whiteness of a child's soul. There they play and wrangle till late al night, these little waifs and strays, hearing and seeing evil when Ihey should be tucked up in their beds, slcepingtheirsweel ilreamlesssleep. Many of their homes are doubtless small and poverty-stricken, but still in them the mother and father should reign—however poor the dominion they govern. And the little ones should be gathered together there, and not allowed to wander about the streets.

Of course this means constant supervision and care on the part of the mother, and it is a sad fact that many mothers arc so disinclined to take the trouble. They themselves like a protracted gossip over a neighbour's fence, and Mary .lane may sit in the gutter and dabble in typhoid germs as long as she is quiet and does not interfere with the animated recital of how Mrs Smith looked, and what Susan Ann up and said to lief. I have noticed one paling that is quite sagged down with the weight of a ponderous female's elbows. She spends her days there and sleeps and has her meals in the hurried intervals. Not always does she demand a kindred spirit, At limes she is content to gaze an! mediate, mayhap on the folly of those mortals who hurry, anil worry, and work through life instead of " taking it easy "—as she does. I fancy the family must live on tinned meats and pickles, and all wear ready-made clothes.

orevtowx : a hemixiscdxcm. A broad while road that stretched away to (lie distant blue hill—a country. road, hero and there grass-edged, and bounded by trim hedges or neat fences, Mind these lay houses embosomed in trees with generous gardens around them, Most of the bouses looked homes, where children liacl erown up and drifted away to other places in search of fame or fortune and where the old parents might be still guarding the hearth-fire and waiting for the errant ones to return, Everywhere great wattle trees Hung abroad their perfumed gold that lusts, alas, so short ut time. There was a dreamy stillness and peace about the little town that was divinely restful after ibe clamour and rush of the city, The trim gardens were gay with the sweetest spring blossoms, and the peach trees were flushed with bloom, Instead of the rattle of (ram-cars, and the roar of trams, across the soft morning air came the matin of the birds and all sweet country sounds. The inn was a plcnsnnl resting-place for tired travellers. I say " inn " advisedly, for there was something deliciously oldfashioned and English about the place and its kindly attendants, The garden outside was bright with spring flowers great sheaves of Narcissi were side by side with delicate primroses, and everywhere the air was fragrant with violets, and such violets so large, and sweet, aud long-stemmed, and not hiding away under their leaves, but holding up their little beads proudly. The old gardener raised himself up to tell me that the " Miss do pick a trayfull at times!" I gathered a lovely nosegay and curried it back to Wellington, The road to Papawai is picturesque. Here and there the exquisite spring tint of the willow contrasted with the darker foliage. The dead trees stood up in weird attitudes. One was like a giant's golf-club. A little stream that chattered across the road had—within the jealous fence—watcrlilics upon Hs'ripplcs. And in the moonlight the very common places became poems, and pictures were met at every turn. The hills were faint-shadows in the haze; only the gaunt bare trees at hand stood out distinctly against the soft distauco of tho midnight landscape, Here and there a coiv was lying in tho fields, or was standingup, meditating, possibly a snack before she slept again. A watchdog heard our yoices, and bayed a deep-mouthed warning to us not to come near his properly, A whirrund a whizz, and past us flitted a young Maori bicyclist on his way to rejoin the merry-makers at the Papawai meeting-house, whose lights were bright far behind us, and where still a tanglo of faces, white and brown, and a whirl of skirts were revolving to the music whose faint echoes now and again reached us.

And on we strolled into the sleepingtown, and crept like burglars into our inn, where we were to take our easo till tlie too-near morning. And I climbed into tho high .white bed that smelt of lavender, and dreamt of wild hakaa and Lord Salisbury, and plum-pudding all tied up in a weird tangle, FOBEEST 1!0S3,