Echoes of th Week.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 693, 18 June 1903, Page 15

Echoes of th Week.

(By “

"Ithuriel.”)

The citizens’ ball in honour of the Governor and Lady Ranfurly on Tuesday night was a huge success. It was representative of many classes, and not inclusive of any, ior, contrary to expectations, ie did not affect the attendance at His Majesty’s Theatre, where all parts of the auditorium were again crowded to witness the adventures of the two wicked family men who pretend to be Masons. There were some lovely dresses at the ball, and generally the aims of the people who attend such functioba were attained. Had the gathering been more in the nature of a popular compliment to vice-royalty, and less a vehicle for the exhibition of human vanity, the result, possibly, would have beenf the same. So that there is no occasion for tears.

’The attempt to enforce an old Philadelphia law of 1794 raises some interesting questions. This curious act, which was supposed to have become obsolete, not only forbids any husband to kiss his wife, and any mother to kiss her child on the Sabbath day or day of fasting, but no beast of burden, man servant or maid servant is to be called upon to do any manner of labour on the Sabbath. No one is permitted to travel, cook victuals, shave, or “ otherwise defile ” the Sabbath day. No one on that day may run or walk in his garden, or indulge in worldly conversation on the public roads. It is a curious comment on this old act that, according to the police report, there are now in Philadelphia 1200 resorts in which liquor is sold on Sunday, and thirty-four. dancing resorts open on that day, and doing a flourishing business. O ! the good Old times !

As a general rule actors are not wanting in courage, but the pluck of the mummer that brought the house upstanding at an American town some days ago was but one remove from rashness. fie advanced hurriedly to the footlights and assured the audience that the performance would have to terminate abruptly as a wire had arrived that a United States war vessel had gone down with all hands. As many of the people in frontt of him were connected with the sea or had relatives afloat, there was natural consternation. At last a bald man behind the orchestral bassoon asked what vessel it was. There were tears in his voice, as he had a-couple of sons on the wave. When the answer came, ‘ ‘ The sub-marine Holland,” there was a moment’s pause, and then a noise like that of many horses running to battle as the crowd surged towards the stage. Of course the farceur was some blocks away before the mob got over the footlights, but had he been in a Western town some 1 distance from the Rockies he’d have been punctuated with bullets before reaching the wings.

If “ Woomera,” of the Australiasian -occasionally resorts to his imagination for his facts, he has an excellent memory to rely upon for his jokes. Here is a fine sample When* Mark Twain visited Australia, a Creswick doctor was preparing to take a trip to Ballarat to hear the great humorist, when he encountered an old Scotch acquaintance about to come into the surgery for an hour s talk. “ Whaur were ye goin ? asked the visitor. “I’m off to Ballarat to hear Mark Twain,” replied the doctor. “ An’ who’s he ? ” asked the visitor. The doctor looked hard' at him for a moment. Then, being satisfied that he waS T in earnest, said, “ Don’t you know . H e s General Booth’s advance agent. „ You d better come down with me. Ine visitor agreed, and together they travelled to Ballarat, and listened to Mark Twain telling all his funniest stories. Forgetful of his joke, and enthusiastic over the lecturer, the doctor turned to his Scotch companion as they left; the hall and asked delightedly, Veil, what do you think of him ? Aweel ! ” was the answer, ‘I dinna know much aboot the beliefs o the Salvation Army. But it seems to me that he’s no sound in doctrine.

The annual -dinner of the Auckland branch of the Journalists Institute took Ze at the Royal Hotel on Saturday evening, and passed off, as all such as semblies should in these enlightened days, with the utmost decorum. Several of the speakers' had almost succeeded in reac h™g that point where a little humour would havß been generously accepted as sort ot counterpoise to the solidity of the exordium. when they were warned K t^ (r tl “® was limited, the licensee not having an extension of time for the occasion. Similarly the mnging, and even the recitations, wore the pale cast of thought, because ten o’clock is too early for the jocular spirit to take the floor. They somehow managed these things much better in the good old. times. The one feature in the entertainment which affords no ground for regret was that supplied by Mr Isaac s cook, for the dinner was A.i. A good word is also owing to Mr Aiderton, who generously | save a case of his champagne, but, for reasons already stated, the wine was not given a fair opportunity to display its merits.

The Hospital Inquiry agony is over, and th* mwmherw must have all heaved a deep ■lgh of relief, for, except to two or three who had an axe to grind, the whole businese has been a weariness of the fleem What the inquiry has revealed is not at all dear. It certainly has proved that the Board is not up to the work it is supposed to do, and also that there should be an executive with unchallengeable authority. A strong chairman, with knowledge, force of character, and the necessary let; sure, would fill the bill, and form a point d’apnui for both the regular and honorary staffs, but in the absence of this jfWI there must always be friction of some sort, and the patients will suffer. Nothing is so difficult as to exclude ths spirit of Tumble from charitable institutions, and Bumbledom is. death.

A great many people will be sorry at parting with the Wheeling and her crew. The Americans became popular because they could not help it. They never made a bid for popularity ; they were, simply of that kind which people cannot help liking. Few who were privileged to come into close contact with the officers of the Wheeling could elude the conviction that they are British at ' the core. They seemed to have carried on unbroken traditions that ceased to be generally worshipped in the Mother Country several generations ago, but in other respects they are wonderfully English. They are more tactful, I think, than we. Capt. Minett, for instance, never spoke of “ Britishers ” and “ Americans,” as one might have supposed he would. He invariably used the phrase “We Anglo-Saxons.” And he is no seeker after fine terms either, but just as bluff and outspoken as any sea-dog of Nelson’s days. We shall all love the Stars and Stripes better for having known the Wheeling boys.