WAIFS AND STRAYS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 2, 10 January 1891, Page 7

WAIFS AND STRAYS.

Eve didn't know the serpent was loaded. Money by any other name would go as fast. To the young maid marriage is a lottery, but to the old maid it is a grab bag. Unless a man is agreeable to all the women he meets they go around pitying his wife. ‘ Oh, I wish I’d been a man,' cried Mrs Bjson. ‘ I wish to goodness you had !’ retorted Mr Bjson. ‘ Who is making all this talk ’’ asked the vinegar bottle severely at a social repast. ‘ I am,’ said the champagne bottle proudly from the head of the table. A woman’s affection for man makes him conceited. This would be unpardonable in him did we not know that his affection for her makes her vain. The reason things go wrong so often in this world is because men won’t take women’s advice. If you don’t believe this at first, just go and ask the women—that’s all. Our courtship are such sweet affairs. Life might seem much more elever, (Since wedded years bring many cares). Were we to court forever. Hymen has many hearts made glad And scores of others saddened. So many singles wish they had And doubles wish they hadn't. When are we out of harm’s way ! Authentic news is to hand of a young woman in Florida having just died in untold agony from the results of a bite of an insect which was concealed in a bunch of flowers she wore at her neck. Human society may be compared to a heap of embers, which, when placed asunder, can retain neither their light nor heat amidst the surrounding elements; but when brought together they mutually give heat and light to each other; the flame breaks forth, and not only defends itself, but subdues everything around it. A woman of fifty-four, in the U.S.A., is said to have been a bride no less than ten times. She first married when sixteen years old. Her last husband was an Indiana judge, whom she married in 1889, and from whom she has since been divorced. Four of her husbands died and from four others she was divorced. Of the remaining two ‘ little is known.’

100 To 150 Miles an Hour.—Professor Elihu Thomson considers that a speed of from 100 to 150 miles per hour should be quite possible with electric locomotives. It simply depends, says he, ‘ upon finding the necessary method of applying sufficient power, and building the locomotives to suit, arrangements being adopted to keep the carriages on the track.’

Why the Tiles were Large.—The houses of ancient Home, previous to the war of Pyrrhus, were covered with boards, but afterwards with tiles of a large size, not less than two feet broad. Seneca speaks of a garret covered with one single tile. In the war against Marc Antony, the senators were taxed at the rate of ten asses (aboutone shilling) for every tile on their roof ; hence it was, of course, desirable to have tiles of as large dimensions as possible, thus reducing the amount of the taxes.

Before Marrying.—There are some common place things you ought to make sure of. (food sound health is the first thing. Next to this we should put perfect truthfulness ; the man who will lie to other people will lie to his wife ; the girl who will lie to other people will lie to her husband. Next to truthfulness, temperance, industry, and courage. Then fortitude—that is, the power to bear pain and trouble without whining. Then unselfishness ; for the selfish man, the selfish girl, though drawn out of selfishness in the early weeks of courtship, will settle back into it again when the wear and worry of life come on.

Fresh Facts about the Mosquito.—The largest and fiercest kind of mosquito are found in the most sparsely populated regions. The traveller who proceeds due north finds these insects increasing in size, numbers, and ferocity as lie journeys poleward, and on the swampy levels of the Alaskan litoral he will encounter hordes which for activity, magnitude, and venom are to the New Jersey species what a hawk is to a sparrow. On the portages of the Cascade Mountains in British Columbia even the Indians are put to flight by what is known in that region as the * lion * mosquito. In the Alaskan swamps even the thick-furred bear is mobbed to death by these agile and merciless tormentors. Life at Saratoga.—Saratoga, the famous Ameiican summer resort, has become very • hoisey ’ —races and driving being the absorbing amusement of the present season. The belle who can diive extinguishes all rivals; so that every damsel with any pretensions to popularity invests in a dog-cart, and takes out her admirers, reversing the former traditions. One girl in Saratoga handles the ribbons in most scientific style. Her dog-cart is cream-colour picked out with red, the horse is also cream colour, and the harness of dark ted leather with gold mountings. The fair driver is a blonde, with creamy complexion, and dresses in red and white to match—red skirt trimmed with cieam braid, cream sailor blouse under a red silk jacket, with white sleeves, red gauntlet gloves, -w hite sailor hat, with red band, and red veil. Her masculine companion weais white flannels anil a red tie.

Aaron Levy’s Dancing Turkeys.—There died at Manchester, England, recently, an old man who for more than a generation had been known as ‘ Turkey Levy.’ His name was Aaron Levy, and he used to keep a saloon on Chatham street. The great attraction of Levy’s place was a big cage on a raised platform, in which were confined three solemn tin keys. An old chap with a cracked violin would begin to play a tune, and the turkeys would dance, first with slow and stately measure, gradually becoming more animated as the fiddler fiddled faster, and eventually ending with a ludicrously wild and frenzied motion, which created intense surprise and amusement. Old Levy kept his secret until one night a party of inquisitive roughs upset the cage and found underneath a chaicoal furnace. The bottom of the cage was of metal, and when the old man fiddled he kept time with his foot. This nut a bellows in operation, the fire burner! bright, the metal began to get hot, and the turkeys liegan to dance.