Here and There.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue VIII, 20 August 1904, Page 13

Here and There.

Experience may be a school To which we all must go; But no one likes its college yell O£ pldiu “I told you so!” •‘New York Sun.”

“Don’t you feel kind of lonesome Since the Legislature adjourned?” “Well,” answered the business man, •it’s a good deal with me as it was with a man who had a pet lion that got lost. I feel a little lonesome, but not near so scared.”

The Vatican has determined to put a stop to priests paying their bills by masses. The scandal is notoriously bad in regard to newspaper subscriptions. The Pope asserts that the system tends to lower the dignity of the Church, and unless a priest can pay cash for his newspapers-he must learn to go without them.

Scene, a Sunday-school. Teacher (to best girl in the head class, who was allowed to choose the final hymn) : “What hymn would you like, Mary?” Scholar: “Please, sir, the hymn about the little she bear.” Teacher: “The little she bear? What do you mean?’’ Scholar: “Please, sir, the hymn that says: • ‘Can a mother's tender care Cease toward the child she bare?”*

A letter which was posted at Dudley, England, in 1882, and addressed to an officer on a ship then in a Spanish port, has spent the intervening twenty-two years in travelling all over the world. It reached South Shields last month. Then it found its way to the dead-letter office, and has now been returned to the sender.

One of the most discussed pictures of the year, Mr Solomon J. Solomon's

“The Allegory,” exhibited at the Roval Academy, has been sold for £l5OO. Below are the prices of some other pictures sold: Mr E. Blair Leighton’s “Vox Populi.” £000; Mr G. A. Storev’s “Pluto’s Messenger,” £420; Mr Lionel P. Smythe’s “A Sunny Shore,” £400; Mr Herbert Dicksee’s “The Destroyers,” £350. In the New Gallery Mr Watts’ “Progress” was bought for 1650 guineas.

A cable message was despatched from the ground at the conclusion of play in the British match at Dunedin, and sent via the Pacific Cable to London, at the instance of Sir Joseph Ward, in order to test the value of this service. The result was known In London before any of the spectators of the match had returned to town. The time occupied in transmission was just over five minutes. A press message to Sydney via Pacific reached there in one minute.

A minister who had preached a sermon on the murder of Aliel by Cain was called upon during the week' by a wor-ried-looking man with a humble request, “lou mind that sermon vou preached last Sunday forenoon?” said the visitor. “Yes.” “About a man called Cain that killed his brother?” “Certainly.” “Well, next Sunday would you kindly explain that he’s no relation of Caine who keeps the dry goods shop on Highstreet? Yog see, everybody has been thinking it was me or* some friend of mine.” The assiduous Messrs Breitkopf and Hartcl have been estimating the comparative popularity of living operatic composers, and have published a list based upon an analysis of the repertoires of German theatres last year. Humperdinck heads the list of German composers, with 449 performances, and next come Zoellner with 244, Kienzl with 197. Weiss with 188, Goldmark with 170, and Eugene D’Albert with 129. Richard Strauss scores but 59, and Siegfried Wagner 33. The list of foreign composers is headed by Mascagni with 743 performances, and Leoncavallo with 551. After them, with a long interval, come Saint-Saens with 227, Charpentier with 178, Massenet with 121. and Puccini with 79. - - -’*•

“Puek” has an amusing skit on the astonishing nomenclature of some modem popular songs. “One of the real novelties of the season,” remarks that journal, is “My Hindoo bindoo-lindotf-sindoo-Zoo,” a serenade which dwells upon a pretty Hindoo maiden called Zoo. The story is beautiful, and fs bound to cause a sensation. Muriel McGuire is winning new laurels with her own latest sensation, “You Never Slapped Me on the Wrist Before.”

Mr Alfred Hill, the composer or “Tapu,” the Maoriland comic opera, who has been elected conductor of the Auckland Orchestral Society, is the inventor of a method by which the facility to compose songs and instrumental pieces can be easily acquired by those who have a knowledge of harmony. Air Hill has settled in Auckland, and will receive pupils for the violin and the Sercik method.

If the milkman's conscience could be reached by gibes, this from the. San Francisco “Argonaut” ought to help him and us: “One day last, summer, Wayne MacVeagh, lawyer and diplomat, entertained a lot of poor children on his stock farm near Philadelphia, and gave caeh of them, among other things, a glass of milk from a two-thousand-dollar prize cow. ‘How do you like it?’ he asked, when they had finished. ‘Geel Fine,’ said one little fellow. Then, after a pause, he added: T wisht our milkman kep’ a cow.’ ” • ,

At a certain mine in the Tarkwa district, Gold Coast Colony, the doctor fell sick and went home, and pending the arrival of his successor the manager, who evidently thought that acquaintance with glass-stoppered bottles implied a knowledge of drugs, handed over the care of the surgery to the assayer. A friend from a neighbouring mine, calling in to see the assayer, found that he had arranged all his bottles on three large shelves, marked respectively: “Useless,” “dangerous,” and “fatal.” “You see, old man,” he remarked, by way of explanation/“I tried ’em on the niggers, and classified ’em accordingly.” z

Information, speculation, fluctuation, ruination; Dissipation, degradation; reformation or starvation. Application, situation; occupation, restoration. Concentration, enervation; nerve prostration. A vacation. Destination, country station. Nice location, recreation. Exploration, observation; fascination — a flirtation. Trepidation, hesitation, conversation, simulation; Invitation, Acclamation, sequestration, cold libation. .Stimulation, animation; Inspiration, new potation. Demonstration, agitation, circulation, exclamation! Declaration, acceptation, osculation—sweet sensation. Exultation, preparation, combination, new relation. “Saxby’s Magazine.” Mr John William Knight, of St. Mary’s-road, Ponsonby, Auckland, an old resident of Auckland, died suddenly on August 11. Mr. Knight, who was exceedingly well known and respected, was 65 years of age, and was born in London. He was a sergeant-major in the Royal Engineers, and came to New Zealand with his regiment, when be (»ok part in the Taranaki War. After the war he returned to England, but came out again to New Zealand 20 years ago, and was employed as draughtsman to the Harbour Board. About 17 years ago he took the position of clerk of works under the City Council, a position ho filled until last year, when he retired. He has of late been employed by the Council as inspector, and on the afternoon of August 11 he went to look at some drainage works going on at the back of his house, where he was found unconscious by Mrs Knight shortly afterwards. Dr. Inglis was summoned, but Mr Knight did not regain consciousness, and died at about five o'clock. He leaves a widow and a family of three daughters, to whom a vote, of condolence was passed at the special meeting of the City Council last week. - - V

It is curieus, yet not stiaßge, that Herbert Spencer, who lived wholly for work, should have left it as his deliberate judgment that work should be only an incident and a means to reerealioa. The laxy people are mightily pleased and encouraged. Nevertheless, the men who succeed. whether as street cleaners, or as statesmen and philosophers, are the men who do not find work a task but * recreation and their source uf happiness. The men who fail arc those to whom the useful, the morally, mentally, and physically remunerating, is a task to be dropped for vacuity or “playing about” as soon as ever tho whistle blows. If Herbert Spencer had been as fond of billiards as lie was of philosophy we should never have heard of Herbert Spencer—but the overseers of the poor iu his district would have heard of him.

It was in one of the lost cities of Babylon that the incident occurred—and the story is consequently old enough to be quite new to this generation. The preacher in a leading ehttreh—or perhaps it was a synagogue or a kirk—had gone for a holiday, and in his stead came one who was emotional and eloquent. His power was so great that he even drew the son of the regular preacher beck to church again, and it is notorious that the sons of clergymen are rarely regular churchgoers. This one, coming late, found his seat gone and the church overcrowded. “It’s about time dad eanio back to shift this crowd," he observed philosophically.

An interesting anecdote is told of the old tunc to which a well-known song is now sung. The story runs that when tho army of the First Napoleon was in Egypt in 1799 the camp for a while was near the Pyramids. One afternoon, about sunset, the band was playing, and the natives of the desert had collected and were listening to the music. Nothing unusual happened until the band struck up a tune which we now hear under tho name of “We Won’t Go Home Till Morning.” Instantly there were the wildest demonstrations of joy among the Bedouins. They embraced each other, and shouted and danced in the delirium of their pleasure. The reason was that they were listening to the favourite and oldest tune of their people. The tune had been taken to Europe from Africa in the eleventh century, and had lived separately in both countries for over 700 years.

At the Caulfield station q stout man in u check suit, entered the carriage, and in language frequent, and painful, and free, began to bewail the utter aggravation of things in general. He had had, he explained to the earnest-looking stranger in the corner, a “bad day,” but the real significance of the expression was lost upon the earnest-looking stranger. lie reproved the stout man, in the first, place, for using such language, and. in the second, for his lack of cheerfulness in the lot to which he had been east. “What’s the good o' talkin’ like that,” demanded the fat man with embellishments, “when a bloke’s bin backin’ seconds all day?” “My friend,” said the earnest-looking man with a quiet smile, “it is all for the best. A joyous day will come for us all. Think of Isaiah, eleven, six.” The' fat man laughed contemptuously. “Think of who?” he cried. “I never heard of him before, but I’ll lay a ’limited ter three he’ll never win with that weight.”

Much practical sympathy lias been wasted by benevolent ladies (writes “Rex,” in the “Australasian”) on an old resident known as “the. Hermit,’’ who thirteen years ago took possession of a site some distance to the rear of the New South Wales’ Governor's estate of “Cranbrook.” Here, with neighbours' voluntary help, he erected a small cottage, and made a number of surrounding iinprovemeuts, including flower beds and rustic fences. His cottage occupied one of the most valuable positions on Belle Vue Hill. The land was recently cut up for sale, but the occupier refused to quit, maintaining that the land was given to him, though lie could show no deed of settlement. Consequently a number of ladies, whose sympathies were enlisted through a rumoured story of blighted love, collected a sum to enable the old man to purchase his home. Era presenting it, however, they found they had been forestalled by “the Hermit’’ himself, who had became lawfully possessed of the whole block, and now assumes the role of landlord.

There Is » touching note about th* last hours of Millais, in the reminisBences of J. C. Horsley, B.A.: —“I was with him several times towards the end. Our final parting was very touching and impressive. He was lying on • low bedstead, and, half sitting up, he threw his arms round my neck, kissing jne on my cheek, and drew me towards him with such vigour that I nearly lost my balance. Though speaking with much difficulty, he said most earnestly, "Pray’ for me, my dear old friend, J ray for me, and ask others to do so.”

It has been definitely decided by the Auckland City Council that a dust destructor shall be erected in Pattcsonetreet. Freeman’s Bay. A deputation from the Helping Hand Mission, Freeman’s Bay, attended the special meeting of the City Council last week to object to the proposed site. An alternative position near the foreshore was suggested, the (deputation fearing that the garbage ■would cause a nuisance before it was burned. Several representatives of firms contracting for the erection of the destructor and building were also present, and assured the Council that With proper covered dust-carts and good management there could not possibly be any nuisance. The decision to utilise the Patteson-street site was confirmed. Only one of the tenderers Complied with the Council’s conditions, One of which was that the destructor should be worked at the expense of the contractors for six months, and a committee was instructed to report upon the advisability or otherwise of accepting the only’ terder which was in order. j

'A cossack named Esaul Naidenoff gives a terrifying description of the effect of the lances used by his men against the Japanese. “It is a mistake,” Bays Naidenoff, “to think that the lance is obsolete. Apart from the question Of shock tactics, it is a most effective weapon, especially in pursuit. I could give a dozen instances. When we were scouting south-east of Tungyuanpu we overtook a small party of Japanese, who immediately cleared off, we after them. One Jap fell, and the man immediately behind fell over him. The two got up together and started to run, but one of our men galloped up and sent his lance through the two bodies at one drive. During the fighting before Fenghuang similar instances occurred. I believe our men struck terror into the Japanese. One of them, riding down on the flank of a Japanese officer, transfixed the horse’s neck and its rider’s head at the same time, just as horse and man were in the act of wheeling round. The horse galloped away, its head locked by the lance to its master’s.”

"I wonder where my little girl gets her bad temper and bad manners?” said * young mother. “Her father and I are most careful to set her a good example, yet she gets worse all the time.” Just then the child was brought into the room by her nurse —a foreign woman with temper and general bad character written all over her sly, coarse face. When the child was not associating with this person she was playing with other little girls who spent most of their time with nurses of much the same type. The mother was too intellectual, was too “busy keeping abreast of the times,” to give more than an occasional hour to her child. Such cases are not common, but neither are they rare—and, at the present rate of "progress,” they will soon be common among the well-to-do people, those whose children ought to give the liepublic a tremendous forward impulse in the coming half-century. The old idea that a child's own mother and father and brothers ami sisters should be its principal associates has no longer the hold that it once had. And that is bad —distinctly bad. —“Saturday Evening Post.”

The N.Z. Government Insurance .Commissioner in his annual report states that during the year 414 proposals were received for £906,847, and 3137 policies were issued assuring £702,350, an increase of £22,947 on the previous year. The premiums on new policies amounted to £23,438 per annum. The income of the Department was £4(13,380, comprising £311,023 for premiums and £152.353 from interest. The sum assured by the Pepartment is now £ 10,060,262, or, in■luding bonuses, £11,111,807. The sum

of £117,415 became claims during the year through death, and endowment policies for the sum of £77,024 matured during the year. The total claims paid by the Department siuee 1870 were £2,571,019. The total assets of the Department on December 31 last w’ere £3,610,299. The rate of interest earned had been £4 8/5, one penny less than the previous year. The premium income of the accident branch for the year was £24,381, an increase of £10,281. The total claims amounted to £ 13,230, as against £8364 in the previous year, the rate in proportion to the premiums earned showing a considerable increase.

Americans have the reputation of being the greatest money-makers of the world. They also are more and more coming to have the reputation of being the greatest money-givers. Among all these givers Mr Carnegie is easily the prince. He has endowed research in the great institution at Washington bearing his name with £2,000,000. He is also endowing learning in the form of thousands of libraries. He has subsidised recreation in the gift of two and a-half millions to his native city in Scotland; and also heroism through the foundation of a five-million-dollar fund. His entire benefactions exceed one hundred million dollars.

But Mr Carnegie is not the only American who gives evidence that money giving is a most important part of American character and life, says an American paper. Not a few men in America are giving, not only’ ten per cent, of their income every year to benevolence, but also are in cases parting with one-third or one-half of their property for the equipping of philanthropic concerns and the endowing of philanthropic movements. In a Western city a physician recently declined to accept an inheritance of £400,060, preferring that it should go to the next of kin rather than to himself. Home, friendship, associations are constantly’ causing professional and business men to decline offers looking toward a change of work which would mean an increase in salary. Despite the struggle for wealth, Evidences are numerous and strong that Americans are quite as much idealists as they are materialists.

Now Mabel’s packed her trunks and gone to dwell beside the sea; She took more things than she will need to wear, it seems to me. She took her dark blue etamine, her pongee and her voile. Twelve nainsooks, twenty organdies that cost me lots of toil. Foulards galore, two erepe de chines, a mousseline de sole. Two taffetas embroidered mull—Lord, help poor old pa— Sonic dotted Swiss as fine as mist, ball dresses by the bunch, With gowns for breakfast, dinner, tea, and other gowns for lunch. Of snowy muslins she took ten, of shirtwaists ninety two, Of yachting suits and white duck skirts enough to please a shrew; She’s also got her bathing suit —it surely is a dream. Made out of hardly anything worth mentioning,would seem. She's got a gross of pettieoats, eight hundr< d pairs of hose, And handkerchiefs enough to blow each blessed human nose; She’s forty two kimonos and a hundredweight of gloves, And dressing gowns nod picture hats and - other things In droves. She took a dozen mirrors ami a peek of powder puffs, "With bottle after bottle of the best complexion stuffs; With thirty-seven parasols and things I s’nose her ma Knows quite a little more about titan me, for I’m her pa. We stood around to sec her off and shed some tears of fear She’d miss her catch and make us buy her summer duds next year. Iler ma's last words were: “Mabel, dear, be sure and don’t forget To wear your bathing suit each day — but don't you get ft wet!” “Ba’tinlore American.’

Geologists are agreed that one of the wonders of America is its forests of petrified trees. The largest is to be found in Arizona. It has now become a National Park, anil is in the care of the United States Government. Anyone who intrudes unlawfully’, or who does unlawful damage, is subject to a fine of £lOOO, and imprisonment for twelve months. The forest covers an area of nearly 100 square miles. Within its bounds the wonderful trees are scattered in wild confusion. Not one is standing—most are broken into huge sections, stripped of limb and twig—great glistening logs of rock. Tima

was when the forest giants were sturdy with life and mantled with luxuriant foliage. This-was not many centuries ago, hut ages and ages ago—in short, millions of year ago, so the record of geology declares. When they tossed their branches to the breeze the American continent was in the beginning of its formation. When they died they were carried some distance by streams and water-logged. Here they were turned into stone, the wood, as it decomposed, being replaced by the silica in the sand that gradually covered it- Particle by particle each cell 'whs replaced by mineral matter, so that the original form, to the minutest details, was exactly reproduced. Then the waters gradually subsided, leaving the stone trees on dry land. That, at least, is the scientific explanation of the wonderful stone trees found on the American continent.

“What passion cannot music raise or quell?” asked the poet. At the Paderewski concert, I sat behind one of the greatest musical enthusiasts in Melbourne, but his passions were in no way disturbed, writes “Woomera.” He sat motionless as a knot upon a log, and there was outwardly but one sign of the storm of emotion that must have raged within. His ears were twitching in absolute time to the piano. Music that can bring dormant muscles to life again must indeed be powerful. At one of the evening concerts a eity man was moved by- one of the longest classical pieces—moved to the extent of a whole block. He was standing in the gangway, and after he had yawned three times, and the overture had still ten minutes to go, a policeman came to him and said, “If you don't find a seat, sir u l shall have to put you out.” “Don’t bother,” said the enthusiast, “I’m going round to see the wrestling match.”

According to the report of the Inspector of Native Schools, the number of Maori village schools in full operation at the end of 1903 was 101—two more than the number open at the end of 1902. The number of children on the rolls of these schools at the 31st December, 190.3, was 3693, as against 3742 at the end of the preceding year. This falling off is doubtless due in the main to the epidemics of measles, whooping cough, and scarlet fever that have occurred in various localities in the North. The average attendance, nevertheless, ha sheen fully maintained, being 3012, as against 3005 in 1902. In addition to the village schools, there are the four mission schools and the five boarding or secondary schools that are examined and inspected by the Department at the request of their controlling authorities. These bring the total number of native schools to 110. The total expenditure on native schools for the year was £28,719, as against £26,946 for the year 1902. Included in this sum is expenditure on new buildings and additions £5655, on secondary education (ineluding board-ing-school fees for holders of scholarships from village schools, apprenticeships, hospital-nursing scholarships,

technical and .University scholarships and travelling expenses of scholarshipholders) £2172, and on the model kainga at Pamoana £444'. The staff of the village schools included 76 masters, 19 mistresses-in-charge, 81 assistants, and 12 sewing teachers. The masters received salaries ranging from £284 2/8 to £94 0/10, the headmistress from £lBl 4/5 to £9O 8/9, the assistants from £5O to £.7 3/, and the sewing teachers from £lB 15/ to j£7. Of the 3693 children attending the native schools, 81.32 were Maori or nearly Maori, - 8.98 were balf-eastes, and 9.7 were European or nearly so. -

The ways of Mr Travis, the American ■who won tile amateur golf championship tn England, aid described in the “King.” He smokes one of the strongest cigars that only the seasoned lover of tobacco could attempt to light with any’ prospect of finishing the round hale and well. Before the match begins he is all geniality and smiles, full of quips and cranks and racy conversation; but as soon as the balls are teed up and the shots are made, his face assumes a serious, grave,Dantesquc cast. Attention is concentrated on the game, and no attempt is made to keep up or to encourage a running thread of conversation in the spirit of the golfer who called the attention of his opponent to the “fine view” at the ninth hole when lie was three-up. To this, it may be added, that Mr Travers ■wins his games on the putting-green, where he strikes the ball as carefully as if he were playing billiards.

Mr. Clement. "VVragge, speaking of the Importance of the application of wireless telegraphy to weather forecasting, told a “Star” interview’d’ that if wireless telegraphic stations were placed on Kerguelen Island, St. Paul’s, Amsterdam Island, the Crozets, Tristan d’Acunha, the South Shetlands, the Antipodes, and the Campbell Islands, and worked in conjunction with the the stations he has already stated, the art of 'weather forecasting in Australasia could be reduced to an exact science almost in the literal sense of the word. “But whom would you get to go to sucli inhospitable places,” interjected the interviewer, “Well,” said the meteorologist, “it certainly would cost some money, because you would have to give the men good salaries to secure their efficiency; and recompense them for their isolation. But the advantages to commerce, agriculture, and other pursuits of an accurate forecast of the weather is easily understood.”

The Hyde Park stroller w’ill be treated to no more picturesque or interesting function during the year than the first meet of the Coaching Club (saya the “Express”). This elub, presided over by Lord Newlands, who will lead the parade of coaches, has done much to keep alive one of the oldest and finest, of British pastimes. Its membership only numbers 100, for the coach, from being a strictly utilitarian vehicle, has now become almost entirely a rich

*aa*s toy. Not a great' many year* •go fully twenty coaches started daily from the neighbourhood of Northumberland Avenue for the beauty spots of Middlesex and Surrey. This season the total number Running ,is eight. Of these only one is owned by an ama'teur —Mr E. Brown, of Roebampton—who drives the “Perseverance.” which has been on the road for thirty years, from the, Hotel Metropole to the White Horse in Dorking. Some of the finest scenery in Surrey is included in the route of this coach through Hook, Epsom, Leatherhead, Mickleham, and Box Hili. From the Metropole also start the “Vivid” and the “Venture,” both of which belong to Mr Arthur Fownes, of Putney, a member of a family very famous in coaching annals. The “Vivid” runs all the year round to Hampton Court, while the “Venture” traverses the road to Windsor by way of Hampton Court in the summer months only. The “Alert” also starts from this hotel for Oxford. Another popular coach drive is to Virginia Water, through Walton and Weybridge, by the “Old Times” from the Hotel Victoria. This coach has been successively driven by such famous knights of the road as Major Dixon, Jim Selby, •nd Tom Harveyson. To Hampton Court also runs the “Present. Times” from the Hotel Cecil; while the “"Coronet,” owned by another member rd+’-e. Fownes family, runs daily to Esher from the Victoria. In spite of Pullman cars, men still travel to Brighton by ooaoh. The “Vigilant” leaves the Victoria on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10.45, doing the journey in a little over six hours, and returning •gain the following morning.

In his paper on the Moriori, read before the Wellington Philosophical Society recently, Mr A. Shand referred to an interesting and almost forgotten legend of Wellington harbour. Port ifichnlson was at one time, so the legend goes, an inland lake, in which dwelt two tipuas, or monsters, Ngake •nd Whataitai. Suddenly impelled by • desire to burst out seaward, they rushed at the intervening land. Ngake duly burst open the present entrance jto the harbour. Whataitai was not so successful. Making for Evans Bay, he incontinently ran his nose aground and failed to find an exit. Then, assuming the form of a bird, he went up to the top of Tangi-te-Keo, “whence he screeches down on to the Wellington waters.” The memory of this mythical creature, it may be stated, is preserved In the name “Haitaitai,” given to tha embryo suburb on Mount Victoria.

4 The London Academy solemnly inquires: “Had Shakespeare been born in Ireland would he have written at a 11,., and if so. what would he have given ius?" Doubtless he would have given ps a fine hue of plays; but whether he would have employed the vocabulary of Mr Yeats or that of “Mr Dooley” it is quite impossible to say. Undoubtedly, lie would have written “Romeo and Juliet,” the plot of which would likely have turned on the eviction of an O’Capulet by a Mellon tagtie; and it is barely conceivable that the potato garden scene would have introduced something like this: Borneo. —Mavourneen, be th’ blessed moon Oi shwear, Thot tips wl’ silver a-al th' • p’ratie-tops— Juliet.—Whist, Romeo, darltnt, shwear uot be th’ moon. - Shot nlver knaws her molud wan day to nlxt. OI 'm dhreadin’ thot yer love’ll prove loikewolse. Rom. —Thin phat, acushla, wud ye have , me shwear — Jul.— Shwear not at all, at all. Or, 'it ye Will. Shwear be yer blissed darlint silt, me lad, Au’ 01’11 belave ye.

• Canvassers, as most people know to their cost, are proverbially talkative men. But the palm must be given to Mr. John M’Carthy who, while doing the Rotorua district, pursued his business so proficiently that he sold a piano to Mrs. Geraty. and received from her a deposit of £5. For this.he had tho misfortune to be charged before Mr. Justice Edwards and a jury for false pretences. The case was gone into at considerable detail last week, and finally the accused placed Ms version of the transaction before (he jury with much vigour, and in q

speech which' occupied an hour and a half in delivering. As the time wore on and the eloquence of the prisoner showed no signs of abatement, the Crown Prosecutor was observed to be shifting restlessly in his chair. His Honor wore an air of majestic patience, but did not sleep. Court officials exchanged glances of mingled resentment and amusement. At the end of the first hour (4 o’clock) His Honor called a halt to dismiss the jurymen in waiting and witnesses in other cases, and then hade the prisoner resume his oratory. The prisoner accordingly resumed. As the hands of the court clock moved steadily on and the prisoner still retained “the floor” members of the jury, who looked like a brigade of Russian infantry caught Under a withering Japanese fire, cast appealing glances at the Judge. But there was no escape. The prisoner was only exercising his undoubted right as a British subject. Whispers were exchanged that an exasperated jury would be sure to find a prompt verdict of guilty with a recommendation to very severe treatment. About 4.30, however, the tension was relaxed, and the oratory ceased. The jury retired for half an hour, and returning found a verdict of — “not guilty.” The prisoner was therefore released.

She was barely one and twenty, and her name was Tibia Jones. She was neat and sweet and girlish, she was strong on broken bones; But she chose the branch of science that she felt she loved the best. And she made a special study of Diseases of the Chest. So ihe man with hobnail liver or a bad hepatic cyst, And the amiable dyspeptic who, perhaps, would scarce be missed, Were left to hustle for themselves and carefully ignored. For the epigastric region was by Tibia unexplored. Obedient to the Scriptural command to “go up higher, ’’ She made the heart her hobby—she was sly, ah! few were, slyer—And she got the bulge ou ladles who in outer darkness grope. For she touched the hearts of many fellows —with her stethoscope. One day into her ward they brought a person on his back , With indicated trouble iu the pericardial sac; He wasn’t more than twenty nine, nor yet exactly plain. And Tibia's self-possession from that time began to wane. She thought she knew a thing or two, but still she never guessed How dreadfully contagious arc Diseases of the Client, And the patient's convalescence as his time came to denart Was accompanied by palpitations of the doctor’s heart. She gave him some instructions as to treatment ere lie went, And witli scientific earnestness her eyes on his were bent. He listened as a patient should, “What shall I take?” said lie— Tiie doctor stood awhile in thought, and then replied, “Take ‘me.’ ” She never went for her M.D.; she'd something else to do; But casualties still drop lu, say, every year or two; And ns she lings the latest in the old familiar way. Sjlie feels that she lias taken double honours as M.A.

Eugene Field was a book collector, and one of his favourite jokes, according to the “Saturday Evening Post” (Philadelphia) was to enter a bookshop ladelphia) was to enter a bookshop where he was not known and ask in the solemnest manner for an expurgated edition of Airs Hernans’ poems. One day in Milwaukee he was walking along the street wit it his friend, George Yenowine, when the latter halted in front, of a bookshop, and said. “Gene, the proprietor of this place is the most serious man I ever knew. He never saw a joke in his life. Wouldn't it be a good chance to try again for that expurgated Mr* Hernans’” Without a word Field entered, asked for the proprietor and then made the usual request. “That is rather a scarce book,” came the reply. “Are you prepared to pay a, fair price for it?’’ For just a second Field was taken aback; then he said: “Certainly, certainly; I—l know it is rare.” The man stepped to a, ease took out a cheaply-bound volume, and handed it to Field, saying: “The price is five dollars.” Field took it nervously, opened to the title page, and read in correct print: “The Poems of Mr* Felicia Hernans. Selected and arranged with all

Objectionable Passages Excised by George Yenowine, Editor of ‘lsaac Watts for the Home,’ ‘The Fireside Hannah More,’ etc.,” with the usual publisher’s name and date at the. bottom. Field glanced up at the bookseller. He stood there the very picture of sad solemnity. “I’ll take it,” said Field, faintly, producing the money. Outside Yenowine was missing. At his office the boy said that he had just left, saying that he was going to Standing Rock, Dak., to keep an appointment with Sitting Bull.

“What does the public want in fiction?” “You must, have either the dramatic instinct or the gift of characterisation. The vogue changes; in the old days a plot was the essential, now character study will do as well. It is a passing wave —the pendulum swings, but the clock goes straight on. “Then an author should not take long rests. It is all very well to fancy he is waiting for a fine inspiration. An author can no more afford long rests than a racing horse. Facility depends on constant exercise of the faculties. And if you stop, the public so soon forgets you.” “Do you ever read your own work?” “Read it! Why, I read it with more interest than those for whom it is written. You must be interested iu your own work. The man who is merely considering what he can make by it will never succeed. Drudgery cannot be good work. That is why I could never be a leader writer. I should constantly be kicking against having subjects given to me; against writing another man’s idea.” “Where do you get your plots?” “Out of my own life and experience.” “Not out of newspaper cuttings?” “No. I never take to a subject suggested to me. It must be my own. I would never do to bring up foster children.”—G. R. Sims, interviewed in the “Daily News.”

The liquidation of Austin Walsh and Co., Ltd., tobacco manufacturers, was the subject of a conversational discussion at the Trades and Labour Council last week, and the Council decided to remonstrate to the Premier against the operation of the Tobacco Trust. Mr. Phillips said he understood that the price of tobacco had been already increased in the South by the Trust, and it looked as if the Trust had already secured a monopoly. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Evans, that in view of the fact that the Austin Walsli Go. had been compelled to liquidate through the operation of the Tobacco Trust, the. Council should express the feeling that the Government should take steps to prevent monopolisation iu the industry.

During the past five years this magazine has told of the steadily widening call for the trained men of the special schools, colleges and universities (says the “.Saturday Evening Post”). The present year has carried the record still higher. Some of the technical institutions had not graduates enough to supply the requests of industry, commerce and education. The president of one

of the greatest American universities complained that business Hrreatened to liankrupt his teaching staff. “My greatest task now is to keep enough effeoUva men,” be said. “The manufacturers are after our best students and are paying large salaries. Politics is another competitor. The presont Administration is using more college men than any in the country’s history, and I receive inquiries constantly asking for young men io fill important and desirable places.” It is a very satisfactory answer to the question, Is the univeriity education worth while? If a graduate’s habits are good, and if he has in him any force, ho steps from tlie commencement stage to lucrative employment and opportunity.

The bunk rates of interest on fixed deposits were raised throughout the colony as from Monday last week as far as sums fixed for two years were concerned, the rate being ads anced from 3j to 4 per cent. The rates for three, six, and twelve months remain as heretofore, viz., 1 per cent, for three months', 2 per cent, for six mouths’, and 3 per cent., for 12 months’ deposits by Bank of New Zealand and the Nit'cnal Bank; and 1J per cent, for six mouths', and 3 per cent, for twelve months’deposits by the Australian banks. It is several years since the rate was b.st as high as 4 per cent, for any period of deposits.

Three bachelors slept lu their aliuttered room— In their shuttered room when the sun shone high; Not one of them felt he must rise till noon. Nor lake his breakfast till by and by; For single men may happily sleep— A pillow is good and breakfast will keep Till ten o'clock iu the morning. Three- fair maids smiled ou these bachelor* three—On these bachelors three when they- came to town; They waltzed, they sang, they made btgti tea. And had thetr accomplishments quickly known; For it matters uot it bachelors sleep, The maids arc awake quite soou in the week. And sometimes rise in the morning. Three married men jumped when the sun arose. And left their pillows In swift dismay; They felt for their boots, they grabbed their clothes. And thoroughly realised it was day; For women will never let men sleep When there’s breakfast to get ami a wash for the week. Though It's dve o'clock lu the morning.