SHIPPING.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. Arrived. Saturday. Marmion, brigantine, from Kaipara. Yesterday. Saucy Lass, schooner, from Wellington. Elizabeth Curie, schooner, from Picton. Wave of Life, brigantine, from Kaipara. Tui, 8.5., from Foxton, Wellington, and Kaikaura and Motanau. Oreti, s.s., from Wellington and Northern ports. Catlin, ketch, from Catlin’s River. Sailed. Saturday. Prince Rupert, ketch, for Catlin’s River. Grafton, s.s., for Wellington and West Coast. Hawea, 5.3., for Wellington and West Coast. Yesterday. Annie, brigantine, for Hobart. Dido, schooner, for D’Urville’s Island.

BIRTH.

Wxx. —On the 14th inst., at St. Leonard’s, Seafield, the wife of A. McKellar Wix of son.

DEATH.

Moran At Ashburton Hospital, on February 19th, 1881, of dysentery, Patrick Moran, native of County Gal way, Ireland. Aged 22 years. —R. I. P.

The Ashburton Guardian. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1881. The Domain Stream.

TCtWN EDITION. [lssued at 5 p. m. ]

At the banquet that followed the ceremony of turning on the water to the town from the Domain stream on the 27th September last, one of the speakers was Dr. Trevor. He replied to the toast of “ the Domain Board,” and in doing so said that though the suggestion of a boating excursion up the stream was a little premature, it was not too soon to speak of bathing ponds being established. He expressed a hope of seeing the time soon come when every “ lad and lassie too ” would begin the day with a good bath. The Doctor is a member of the Domain Board and a medical man, and speaking thus de cidedly on the subject of bathing ponds we should imagine that, with the Domain Board at least, no ob stacles would arise to the construction of bathing ponds that he could possibly remove. We had expected to see long ere this some suitable corner of the stream set aside as a bathing pond to supply a much-felt want in the town ship. As it is, the stream is exten sively made use of by bathers, notwith standing the growls that are made against the practice by certain of the more fastidious; and we confess that to some extent the growlers are not without some basis for their complaints. It is not the most delicate sight for a stray female to witness—to see a big raw man clad in Adam's ante-fall raiment, take a header from the bank, and trust to the “ drumliness ” of the water to hide him. But there are not many chances for an open air dip in Ashburton. The river is a considerable distance away, and its best pools are a good way off, while the deeper pools of the Domain are within the town, and only a few minutes’ walk is required to bring any householder in Ashburton to their banks. A suggestion has often been made that some sort of a rough build ing should be put up beside a pool, purposely excavated for bathing, so that dressing accommodation could be pro vided. If this suggestion were acted upon by the Borough Council we believe that funds would not be wanting to bear the cost, for we feel certain that the many enthusiastic bathers in the town ship would be happy to subscribe to wards the expense; and perhaps it might be so arranged that a small charge could be made for the use of the dressing-room. The bathing ground could easily be fixed in an obscure part of the Domain, so that no one need have their sense of delicacy offended, and if proper bathing rules were drawn up, as regards dress, &c., there need be no trouble whatever. We see no great difficulty in having two pools at suitable distances apart, so that both sexes may be supplied with an early dip, a pleasure that is far more than a luxury. The sanitary arrangements of a town are in complete without full accommodation being provided for bathing, and with such a body of water as we have backed up in the Domain we ought not, for want of enterprise, to be without a good swimming pond.

District Court. —The sitting days of the Ashburton Court are gazetted as the first day in every month, and Judge Ward is gazetted as the Judge of the Court, with Mr. Walter Martin as Clerk. Longbeach Cemetery.— The name of the Longbeach Cemetery has been changed to the Watertdn Cemetery, and a notice to this effect is gazetted. The Town Hail. —We would remind shareholders in the Town Hall Company of the meeting td-night, at eight o’clock, which is advertised elsewhere. The meeting is a very important one, and it will be a great saving of time if a quorum is present at eight o’clock. I

The San Francisco Mail. —Mails for the United Kingdom, continents of Europe and America, West Indies, Sand wich Islands, via San Francisco, will close at the Ashburton Post office on Saturday, 25th inst., at 10 a.m. Caledoman Society. —The annual meeting of the Caledonian Society will be held on Friday evening next, not Monday, as was advertised. The change has been made so as not to interfere with the Odd fellows’ Concert on the 28th. Oddfellows’ Concert. The pro gramme of the Oddfellows’ Concert will be issued to-morrow. It comprises contri butions from some of our leading local per formers, and embraces music, vocal and instrumental, recitations, dances, and a farce. A ball will be held at the close. The members of the Society are working hard at the sale of tickets, and a bumper house is almost a certainty.

The Flower Show. —We would remind intending exhibitors at the forthcoming Flower Show, th d the exhibition will be held on the sth of March, and that they ought to make their entries as speedily as possible, both in their own interests and those of the officers of the. Society, as it is exceedingly disagreeable to have a rush of entries at the last moment that might very easily have been made a week before The Weather. —Following on a stiff breeze from the north-west, that blew for a considerable time yesterday afternoon, came a change of wind, and with it a somewhat heavy r all of rain, which lasted well into the night. In the early morn ing there was a clap or two of thunder. To-day, however, there has been bright sunshine, though the heat of ast week is pie:'.sandy conspicuous by its absence, and in its place we have quite a cool and even chilly atmosphere. The change is a wel come one, and will doubtless have some effect in checking the amount of sickness which, we regret to say, is still prevalent amongst us. An Item Under the Property Tax Act. —At the sitting of the Board of Reviewers, at Oamavn, in reference to danse 24 of the Property Assessment Ac., which says that property let for over twdve months shall be assessed at four teen timer its annual rental, an objector urged tha.; the clause did not apply in his •case, as Irs property was lotto six tenants who were under one roof, and the danse, he held, only applied to cases where a property was let in one lot to a single tenant. The latter would be liable under covenant of the lease to keep property in good order and condition, and fully insured, whereas in his case these ex penses fell upon his shoulders. The Court coincided with the view taken by the objector, and reduced the amount by L 1,450, the original assessment being L 7,440. The Industrial Exhibition. We learn from the secretary of the Local In dustries Association that the Government have consented to carry exhibits free by rail from all stations, and return tickets at single fares will be issued during the time the Exhibition will be open. The Space Committee at their next meeting will have under their con sideration the question of covering in the whole of the space between the Court house and the Town Hall—some 70 feet square—to form an annexe for the exhi bition of machinery and other bulky articles. Messrs. W. H. Puddicombe and Co. have kindly consented to receive and forward articles from the Mount Somers district ; and we would just state that the applications for space, especially from Christchurch, have been very numerous, and it would be well for intending appli cants in and around Ashburton to apply at once, as after Tuesday, Ist March, no applications from anywhere will be con sidered, unless of course they bear the postmark of that day’s date. Disturbance in a Railway Carriage. To-day before his Worship the Mayor, J. Campbell was charged with having been drunk in a railway carriage on Saturday, with using obscene and abusive language while in the carriage ; with resisting Con stable Neill while in the discharge of his duty ; and with the destruction of pro perty to the value of L2. Constable Neill gave evidence as to the offences which had been committed while prisoner was travelling in the railway between Addington and Weedon’s. Prisoner was drunk and several times attempted to kick passengers off the seat. The Con stable, who was on the train at the time, arrested him, and while struggling with the prisoner the constable’s clothes were torn. Prisoner was very violent, and had to be handcuffed. Before he was hand cuffed he bit two persons, and used very bad language. J. L. Brown, a follow passenger, corroborated the constable’s evidence. The Mayor sentenced prisoner to pay fines of L 4 7s. in all, with L2 2s. costs, remarking that thepunishment would have been more severe, had the offences been committed in a carriage used by ladies, instead of in a smoking carriage.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

(Per Reuter's Agency.) London, Feb. 18. Commercial. The total quantity of wheat afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,200,000 quarters. Adelaide flour, ex warehouse, 335.; New Zealand wheat, ex ship, 445.; Five Per Cent. New Zealand 10.40 Loan, 105 ; Five Per Cent. New Zea land 1889 Loan, no. The Wool Sales. At the wool sale to-day, 10,500 bales were catalogued. T he tone of the sale was firm. London, Feb. 19. At the wool auction to-day, 6,700 bales were offered, and there was a good demand. Consols. Consols remain unchanged, at 99^. Coming Home. The Orient Company’s steamer Lusi tania left Plymouth yesterday, for Aus tralia. Laycock, the sculler, is a passenger by her for Sydney. The Fears Dispelled. All fears of a Fenian attempt to blow up Windsor Castle having been dis pelled, her Majesty the Queen has now returned to Windsor. Back Again. Mr. Parnell has returned to London from Paris, and has resumed his attend ance at the House of Commons. Somewhat Modified. The Speaker of the House of Com mons has now somewhat modified the rules which he has lately made for the repression of disorder in the House. Seceded. Several Home Rulers have seceded from Mr. Parnell’s leadership, in con sequence of his action in “ coquetting” with Communists during his recent visit to Paris: Russia’s Explanation. In reference to the recently published papers regarding the discoveries made by General Roberts in Cabul, it is now officially announced that the Russian Government has explained to England that Skobeloff prolonged his intrigues in Afghanistan because he was ignorant of the fact that the Berlin Treaty had been signed by the Great Powers. It is further stated by the Russian Govern ment that the Ameer, Shere Ali, pro posed an offensive and defensive treaty

of alliance, but that proposal wa ■ re jected by the Russian General. It is now further announced, in on nection with the explanation mad by the Russian Government regardin' the papers discovered by Genera; Roi -rts at Cabul, that the Czar had ord red General Kauffman not to corresp nd, even in a formal manner, with the Ameer, Shere Ali. Disposed to be Quiet. St. Petersburg, Feb. 13. It is announced that General Sk 'be loff, commander of the exped-Mon against the Tekke Turcomans, is re turning to Russia. The communica tions which he has recently mad - to the Government fully confirm tin re ports previously received that the Tur comans now show a disposition to conclude peace. Hurrying Them Up. Capetown, Feb. 19. Telegrams to hand to-day from Natal announce that Sir Evelyn Wood has left General Colley’s camp at tlv Tn gogo and is now returning to Pieter maritzburg to expedite the despa t< i of further reinforcements to the front. A Special Mission. Calcutta, Feb. 13.

News has been received that the Ameer of Afghanistan has left Cabi ' on a special mission to Peshawur, and will shortly afterwards come on a vise, to this city. A Mysterious Movement. Calcutta. Feb. U). Telegrams are to hand containing a report that an army corps, organise 1 by the Ameer, has left Cabul for Ghuzuee, but the object of the movement is not known.

AUSTRALIAN

(Per Reuter's Agency.) The Reform Question. Melbourne, To-day. The probability a conference of the two Houses of Parliament being held to agree, if possible, to a cr mpn nise on the reform question, is stated to be increasing, but nothing official on the subject has yet been announced. Travelling. A six days’ pedestrian contest com menced at midnight last night, h here are fifteen competitors, inducing t wan, of New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND

(Per Press Association.) A Swell Thief. Auckland, To-d y. Francis Shepherd, a young swell was convicted at the Police Court of sf ding various articles of personal property rom the pockets of various members 1 the Auckland Rowing Clubs, and other asso ciates, and was committed for t rial on the most serious offence, and sentenced to eighteen weeks’ imprisonment for various minor offences. Not Much Hurt. A cart, loaded with a ton of firewood, passed over the stomach of a little h >y six years old, in Parnell, without hre -king his ribs or injury to his spine. It n be lieved the boy will recover. The medical man considers the case a most remarkable one. The Cricketers. The Australian Cricketers commence play to-morrow. A Respectable Young Man. Wellington, To-day. William L. Donald, a respectable young man pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of monies belonging to his employers, Messrs. Bannatyne and Co., and was sentenced to twelve months’ hard labor. More Taxation. The Finance Committee of the City Council recommend an increase in the rates to Bd. Mata. Mr. H. Prince has received a cable gram, stating that Mr. Haines has sold Mata for India, for 500 guineas. The Standard Insurance Company. Although the balance sheet of the Standard Insurance Company presents some unfavorable features, the loss being very considerable, this partly arises from the directors having determined to wipe off every possible loss at once, and start afresh under the new management. The loss by defalcations amounts to L 469 19s. 4d.; unpaid losses, L 7,500 ; bad debts, L 196 19s. lOd.; while the premiums received during the half-year only ex ceeded by L 1,600 the amount of the paid losses.

THE TE AROHA MURDER.

Remand of the,Accused. His Counsel Threatened with Violence. (By Telegraph. ) Gkahamsiown, To-day. This morning, at the Resident Magis trate’s Court, before Messrs. Murray and Skene, J’s.P., John Procoffy was charged with the wilful murder of Himiona Haere, at Te Aroha. The police applied for a remand until Thursday. Mr. Brassey, who appeared for the accused, said, as there was not evidence to show a prima facie case against the prisoner, he objected to the remand. The Bench granted the remand, stating that as Mr. Kenrick had begun the case, he could continue it. Mr. George Nathaniel Brassey, the solicitor for the accused man, Procofly, has been threatened with violence if he de fends the prisoner. The intimation was conveyed to him from Piuha, a chief of the Ngahiko tribe.

SPORTING.

TRAINING NOTES FROM POR BURY. [By Telegraph.] Dunedin, To-day. There was but little work done at Forbury yesterday. Chaafe commenced operations by sending Atlantic and Nautilus for a canter once round, Boughleen Dhoun and Hippona at the same time doing walking exercise. Cutts had his string out, and sent Sir Modred, with clothing on, twice round at a moderate pace. The Idalium colt and Somnus were despatched for a two mile spin finishing fast. Hilarious and Sir Garnet—the latter in clothing —had a pipe-opener twice round, and pulled up very fresh. Le Loup cantered half a mile by himself. Sylvanus and Playboy had a regular duster, the colt having all the best of it. The Cat trotted three miles in grand form. Milo and the three-year-old of Dodson’s had a sharp spin of two mites. The former appeared to be going rather gingerly, but could still hold his com panion cheap. Fishhook, who looks the very picture of health only cantered, but it is apparent that the son of Traducer retains sufficient of his old form to make it warm for some of the high flyers. Lady Emma and Ledger demain did walking exercise, as also did Dodson’s lot.

THE BETTING MARKET. Sir Modred continues to harden in

price for the Cup, while the quotation about the others still asked for also shorten considerably. Volunteer, who was under a cloud for a week or two, was in demand on Saturday, but in the evening he receded again, and his stable companion, Randwick, passed him in the betting. For the Champagne Stakes, nothing at present goes down except Idalium and Amulet, but doubles and trebles are indulged in at prices ranging from 100 to 10 to r. The following are the latest quota tions : The Cup. Even on Sir Modred 0 to I agst. On Dit 0 —• 1 Sylvanus 7 1 Le Loup 8 1 Randwick 8 1 Titania 10 1 Volunteer 100 8 Fishhook 100 100 100 - 5 Mischief 100 Champagne Stakes. 2 to 1 agst. Idalium 3 1 Amulet 5 1 The others SCRATCHINGS. Grip and Virginia Water, for all en gagements.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

♦ [by telegraph.] (Par s.s. Wahitipu at JVellington.) Wellington, To-day. The Union Steamship Company’s s.s. Wakatipu arrived here at half past six o’clock last night. She brings the follow ing summary of Australian news ; Victoria, Feb. 15. A number of Irishmen have sent a con gratulatory telegram to Mr. Parnell. Mr. Walker has definitely decided to contest Maldon on Mr. Service’s retirement. Sydney, Feb. 15. The Immigration Agent has been in structed not to receive any more deposits on account of assisted immigrants, pend ing the consideration of the whole ques tion by the Assembly. Excavations made have exposed the foundations of the Town Hall, and show the work to have been of a disgraceful character. In places the stones appear as if they had been thrown into trendies. There are open joints in the masonry, and the overhanging base is not down to the rock in some places. Government ask L 51,000 for the year’s immigration. This is a decrease of L 25,000.

Wilcannia. Mr. Evans brought to town on the 7th 24 ounces of gold, consisting of a nugget weighing 10 ounces, another weighing 2 ounces, and the remainder coarse uuggety gold. He states that himself and party obtained the gold in three days from two to six feet from the surface with dishes. The diggings are about 200 miles from Wilcannia, and there are 25 miners’ rights issued. Nows has been received of fresh finds in the Grey ranges, but the rumors require authentication. Two coaches left Wil cannia for the diggings well filled. A destructive hurricane at Levuka is reported. Two steamers sank in the har bor, and the town suffered severely. Queensland. Parliament has been farther prorogued to March 29. An Afghan, having a female camel and a young camel, passed through Yulo. The Afghan speaks broken English, and is understood to have found the camels in the bush. They are supposed to have belonged to the Burke and Wills’ expedi tion, and the man is suspected to be a deserter from Elder’s expedition. Skuthorpe, up to the present, has not permitted a single person to see the record and other articles which he alleges he has at Blackall. Skuthorpe left Blackall on January 24. Nobody seems to know any thing of his whereabouts. A hut-keeper at Idamere station, Pituria Creek, has been murdered by blacks. A Malay prow, in ballast, with nine men, was boarded and picked off at Mul grave Island, having been blown to lee ward in a heavy gale, and drifted thirty four days. The crew were since landed at Thursday Island. It is reported that the Duke of Man chester intends purchasing Queensland stations.

LATE EUROPEAN ITEMS.

(Fer Hero at Hokitika.) London, Feb. 7. Much anxiety is felt concrning one of the steamers of the celebrated Canard line, running between New York and Liverpool. The steamer is now ten days overdue. There is grave reason to fear the vessel has foundered in one of the recent heavy gales. Feb. 8. The Irish National Land League suspect that the Government will apprehend Mr. Parnell and advise him to escape to America. Intelligence has been received from the Transvaal that the Boers are in suffi cient force to threaten a serious invasion of Natal. The secret correspondence of the Rusian Government with the Ameer of Afghanistan, which was seized by the British on their entry into Cabal, has been printed. It shows Russian intrigue in a very bad light. Germany continues to resist the desire of Greece to invade the provinces of Thessaly and Epirus with a view of acquir ing by force those districts which the Berlin Conference recommended Turkey to cede to her.

Sir George Pomeroy Colley, who, since his last engagement with the Boers, has been entrenched at Laingsnik awaiting reinforcements, has again attacked the Boers ah Ingogo River, and defeated them. The British loss in number was 150, in cluding many officers. The Boers lost heavily. Two ships and a quantity of grain, sugar, and tea have been burned at the Victoria Docks, London. Fob. 9. Under the organised system of contri butions, it is arranged by the Irish Land League that, as the funds in hand have accumulated to an extent beyond present requirements, the leaders of the League shall invest large sums on realisable securi ties, in order to prepare for future emer gencies. A measure introduced by M. Baquet for the purpose of legalising divorce in France has been rejected by the French Chamber, after a very animated discussion. At the present time the French law does not permit divorce on any grounds, and the proposal to introduce the right of divorce under certain circumstances is steadily resisted by the clerical party. {Per WaJcatijm at Wellington.) London, Feb. 10. The remains of the late Thos, Carlyle have been interred in his native village of Ecclefechan, in Dumfriesshire. Feb. 11. The Queen and Princes of Wales intend permitting their pictures, now on view at Melbourne Exhibition, to be exhibited in Adelaide during the proposed South Aus tralian Exhibition. Feb. 12. Further diplomatic revelations have been made in connection with Central Asia. In 1876, correspondence shows that Russia was prepared to divide Central Asia with England on certain conditions. Tim Basutos have been effectively sub dued, and are now appealing for an armistice.

CRICKET.

Rakaia Gorge v. Mount Somers

This match was played at Mount Somers on Friday last, and resulted in favor of the latter by 75 runs. The Rakaia Gorge team lost the services of two of their best men, which no doubt made a difference in the result. Messrs. Peacock (Rockwood), and Phillips (The Point), batted for the absentees, while their places in the field were supplied from the opposite team. Bain, in the second innings of Mount Somers, made two very good catches. A most enjoyable day was spent a brilliant sun, accompanied by a gentle breeze, mak ing the weather for cricket such as couldn’t possibly be beaten. We must not omit to notice the bowling of Mr. Bealey, and the batting of Messrs. Clissold, Knight, Bealey, A. Potto, Peter, and Gifkins for their respective sides. The following are the details : Rakaia Gorge. Ist Innings. 2nd Innings. F. Bealey, b Chapman ig c Peter, b Chap man ... o E. M. Clissold, b Chapman ... ... 25 c Hood, b Chapman ... 5 T. Phillips, 1) Chap man' ... ... o tun out ... 9 F. Russell, c Lovell, h Chapman ... 3 b Burden ... 5 T. B. Knight, c Hood, b 'Chapman ... 2 not out ... 29 G. R. Peacock, b Burden ... ... o c A. Potts, b Burden ... 4 T. E. Upton, run out o b Chapman ... 2 J. Dunford, b Burden 4 c D. Potts, b Chapman ... 1 G. Smith, run out ... 3 b Hood ... I The Point, b Chap man ... ... 1 b Chapman ... 6 Rockwood, not out ... o b Hood ... 2 Extras 14 Extras ... 15 Total ... 71 Total ... 79 Grand total—lso. Mount Somers. Ist Innings. 2nd Innings. W. T. Lovell, hit w, b Bealey ... ... 2 c Sub, b Bea ley ... ... 8 T. H. Tomlinson, b Bealey ... ... 6 b Bealey ... o A. Potts, b Bealey ... 3 c Sub, b Bea ley ... ... 21 W. Chapman, run out ... ... o b Bealey ... o L, E. Corsbie, b Clis sokl ... ... 12 c Russell, b Phillips ... 4 W. Burden, run out ... 3 b Bealey ... o E. Peter, b Peacock ... 2 runout ... 28 W. Gifkins, b Clis sold ... ... 2 notout .. 43 D. Potts, b Clissold 3 b Peacock ... 2 W. Hood, 1b w, b Clissold ... ... 2 b Phillips ... 17 A. E. Peache, not out 3 c Phillips, b Peacock ... Extras ... 25 Extras ... 32 Total 63 Total ...162 Grand total 225, leaving a majority of 75 in favor of Mount Somers.

THE CHIMNEY CORNER.

THE CLOVERTOPS AT THE SEA SIDE. Mr. Clovertop, of Missouri, Relates His Experience to the Member from Nodaway. Evenin’, Mister Barnaby. Evenin’, sir. Light an’ come in, won’t ye ? Miggles, git Mister Barnaby a cheer. Set ye down, sir. Powerful glad to see you; was afraid ye’d be gone back to Washin’ton afore we come home. Ye wouldn’t hardly a knowed Miggles, would ye ? She’s growed awful stylish sinst we been down to the seashore. An’ her mother, sir ? Well, I’m blest ef the old lady ain’t nigh as bad ns the daughter. The old man appears to be the only one in the lot that’s the same old fool that he always was, an’ is glad to get back to Nodaway county an’ the farm. Yes, sir, we summered down to the seashore. Miggles has just been wild to go for mor ’n three years back, an’ her mother has kept her agoin’. So along last July, airly in the month, things was lookin’ well about the place an’ luck had been weth me all last year, and so we packs up an’ went. Stayed around down east lhar a couple o’ menths or so. Well, no, sir, cain’t say as I ’njoyed it powerful much. Got into trouble fust thing. We went into one of these varnished cyars—sleepin’ cyars, so I gits up fur a drink. I was afraid of makin’ a mistake, as I’d heard of such things bein’ done, so I was partic’lar car’ful to notice our bunk when I left it; yaller and red striped curtains it hed, with black figgers and vines worked into ’em. That’s all right, thinks I,

and off I went. Bine by I started back to look fur my bunk. “ Hyar she is,” I says, lookin’ at the curtins, and in I bounces. An’ then I stood still, with one knee on the bunk. Sir, Mister Barnaby, they want nobody than My wife wan’t to be seen, and the bunk hadn’t a wrinkle in it. It ’peared like it was just made up. “ What in thunder,” I wondered, “ hes happened ?” I got out an’ looked at the curtins agin. That wur my bunk, sure, whar I’d left ma a sleepin’ not th’ee minits afore. Thar was the curtins with red an’ yallow stripes and black figgers an’ vines. I looked into the top bunk whar Miggles was, an’ kill me dead, sir, ef she wa’nt gone too 1 I declar I was fairly scart. An’ then I went on a little further down the cyar, an’ great day in the mornin’ 1 Mr. Barnaby, sir, I hope to die ef every last endurin’ bunk in that varnished cyar, more’n twenty on ’em altogether, didn’t hev exactly the same kind o’ curtains, red an’ yellow stripes with black figgers an’ vines runnin’ up an’ down into ’em ! Well, there wan’t nothin’ to do but to prospect fer it, and so down the row I went. Fust bunk I stuck my head into there was a feller snorin’ away two hundred and twenty mile an hour, and the whole bunk smellin’ so strong of whisky I’d like to had the jim-jams afore I could get out. “ That ain’t none o’ mine,” I says, an’ into the next bunk I dives, an’ a woman kicked me on the stommik an’ doubled me up clar acrost the car. “ Git out o’ this you old drunkard,” says she, an’ out I got. “ Thar’s a woman,” says I, “as kin take caie of herself,” and it made me kind o’ bashful about prospectin’ in the next claim. But they wasn’t no help fer it, and I parted the curtains and poked in my head, and dog gone my skin, Mister Barnaby, ef I didn’t look right strait down into a revolver, with a man siltin’ up in bed behind it.

“ I’ve been lookin’ fer you, my friend,” says he, cool as Christmas ; “ now you jump overboord afore I fill yer thievin’ skin weth lead,” says he.

Well, ’twan’t no kind o’ use argyin’ weth no sich a man’s that, so 1 backed out, and’ I tell you now I felt blamed streaked about locatin' the next claim. So I went along, an’ the next bunk I come to, fool like, I jest stuck my hand in thue the curtains, an’ was goin’ to feel around. Fust thing I done, I laid ray whole hand, flap an’ flat, on a woman’s face. Such a yell as she riz ! An’ didn’t she grab my hand an’ hold her holt ? And the next minil every body in that war standin’ around me, all swearin’ an’ hollerin’, “ Put him out ! ” “ Throw him off! ” and all the fellers whose bunks I’d peeked into givin’ me dead way, and the nigger porter, who wasn’t nowhere to be found when I needed him, boldin’ my shoul der and axin’ me what was up, an’ that woman grippin’ my hand like death and yellin’ like all possessed, and Higgles here in the top bunk, screechin’ nigh as loud as her mother. We see it all in a minit.

“ Great snakes ! ” I hollered, “go away from us, all on ye ! Dog rab my pictur, if it ain’t my wife ! ” “ Sartin it is,” says the porter. “ Who was ye expectin it to be, you old wretch ? ” yelled the woman that kicked me. Well, sir, Mister Barnaby, I didn’t know whether to admire or hate that woman. ' “Why, pa?” shrieked Higgles, and then she flops back into her bunk, gigglin’ and laffin’ like a young fool. “ Whair on airth hev ye ben ? ” says ma, in a yell of’stonishment. “ He’s ben in my berth ! ” hollered the man with the revolver. “And he tried to get in mine!” hollers the kicker, An’, Mister Barnaby, ef you could have seen ma’s face. But the porter, he laft, an’ scd it was all right, and tole me to get back into bed and stay thar, and the next time I wanted anything to holier fer him. But I couldn’t go to slep any more that night, fer ma wan’t half satisfied about it and talked and talked about it till nigh mornin.’ Well, we got down clar to Boston. It’s a powerful big place. All the time that we was thar, I didn’t see but one piece of ground big enough to put in any kind of a crop, and that was all put down in grass. ’Twasn’t more nor half cleared, either. I don’t suppose, Mr. Barnaby, thar’H be 300 bushels o corn raised in all Boston this year. We got on to a steamboat thar, and went down to Maine. Lemme tell you, Mister Barnaby, thecourthouse at Mary ville ain’t a circumstance to that ar steam boat. Everything so white ye was afeared to touch it, an’ niggers to wait on ye every turn. We had supper right after we went on board, an’ ef we didn’t lay right into the fixin’s thar’s no snakes. I reckon we jest about tired two fellers clar out, carryin’ hot cakes. Then we went out an’ sot down an’ watched the waves rollin’ an’ tumblin’ around. Pleasant ? Oh, yes, Mister Barnaby, it was kind o’ pleasant, at fust.

Bime by, however, we sort o’ quit talkin’ an’ sot lookin’ straight ahead, oneasy like. Ma began to look awful. “ Ma,” I says, “ ain’t you feelin’ well ? What appears to be the matter with you?” Well, ma, she sayed she didn’t jest know. She didn’t feel well; she reckoned she’d better lay down for a while. An’ I'helped her to our room, an’ I swar to goodness I thought that woman was goin’ to die. Out I run agin. “ Miggles,” I sayed, “ you’ll hev to go an’ set weth your mother while I hunt up a doctor; she’s ” An’ jest then I looked at Miggles. Je-m7-zalem !”

Says I, “ Miggles, what ails ye ?” “ Pa,” she says —“ pa, I’se awful sick, I can’t hold my head up a minit longer; I don’t know what ails me.” Well, I holp her to the room where ma was, and before I could turn around to go for a doctor, Mr. Barnaby, sir, I hope to die hyar ef I didn’t catch it myself. “Oh dear, oh dear,” groans ma, “ I’m goin’ to die ; oh, I’m goin’ to die, I’m goin’ to die. It’s them pesky cow cumbers ! Oh dear, oh dear !” “Oh me, oh my,” wails poor Miggles, “ I’m dyin’, oh, I know I’m dyin’, I’m dyin’, I can’t live an hour ! Oh dear, oh dear. It’s the ice cream, pa,” she says. “ By George,” I hollered, “ I’m a dead man now, but I’ll lay out the man that killed me fust—l know what’s the matter !” An’ welh that I rushed out, or rether tumbled out of the room, and set up a yell for the captain. Everybody come runnin’ to me, an’ bime by a man all covered with gold tape and brass buttons wanted to know what was the metier. “ Matter enough 1” I yells. “ Pizen ! Rank pizen, thet’s what’s the matter ! I’m pizened right on this boat ! Me an’ my family has been pizened right at your table, an’ I want a doctor for ma an’ Miggles mighty quick !” Well, sir, Mister Barnaby, ef that man didn’t stand there an’ laugh at me. “ Oh, yes” he says, kind o’ soothin’ an’ unbelievin’ like, “ I guess ye ain’t pizened. let at the same table,” says he, “ an’ I ain’t a bit sick !” Well, somehow, his laffin riled me. “ Ye can’t fool me !” I roared ; “ ye can’t play no old man Bender on me ! I know pizen when I see it workin’ an’ I know a hull family, that hain’t spent two dollars for medicine in sixteen years, ain’t goin’ to be took deathly sick all at the same lime an’ in the same way less’n thar’s pizen in their viltles !”says I. “This ain’t no milk sick! Send me the doctor for ma an’ Miggles mighty quick,” says I; “ tell him to run every step of the way.” The captain he turned round, an’ as well as he could fer laffin, fer I could see he was nearly chokin’ with it, an’ told a man to go an’ ask Doctor Bolus to come here right away.

“ An’ tell him to fetch his stommik pump along!” I hollered after him; “ tell him to bring along his stommick pump ! The biggest and strongest one he’s got !” An’, sir, ef you’d a heered the pas sengers an’ that brute of a captain yell! They hollered an’ laft, an’ fell down on the sofys, an’ belt their sides an laft till I was mad enough to fight, on’y I couldn’t stand on my legs long enough to hit anybody. “ My good fellow,” says the captain, “ never mind that ; they won’t need any stomach pump,” says he ; “ they can get along very well without it,” he

says, aid then he breaks out latfin’, wuss’n any o’ the rest on ’em. Land ofjedgement, Mister Barnaby, sir, but I was howlin’ mad. I was that mad I nigh forgot how sick I was, and the madder I got, the wus they laffed. Uime by the doctor lie come an’ sayed we was only sea sick, an’ they warn’t no help fer us at all; we’d jest have to grin an bear it till it got th’ue weth us, he said, an’ that’s all the doctor done for us.

Well, we was all well enough in the mornin’, though I sw’ar I wouldn’t o’ give an acre, of goose paster for our lives any time thet night, an’ ef theys any difference between sea-sick an’ arsenic pisen, its on’y in the result, for either one of ’em is a thunderin’ sight wuss’ the other. But the captain was right about the stummik pump ; none of us seemed to need it very much. We went in bathin’, in the surf, of course. Miggles went in frequent, but ma an’ me, we got enough out of one surf bath to last us the rest of the summer. Ye see, Mr. Barnaby, there’s a great cable rope stretched from a post in the sand out to a buoy in the water, an’ ef ye can’t swim, ye holt on to that rope an’ stand still, an’ let the big waves, higher’n a rail fence, break over ye. Well we put on our bathin’ things, an’ w'ent down over the sand to the "water, weth more’n one thousand four hundred people gazin’ at us, an’ such Aggers as we was in them bathin’ toggery. Master Barnaby, I was ashamed of myself, when I see how we looked. I an’t been the same man sinst. When I come out of the water that day, I look to drink; me, that ain’t so much as tasted even a glass of beer in thirty-two years, an’ a leading member of a temperance society. I tuck to drink an’ tried to drown the recolection of what I looked like, an’ got bilin’ drunk afore I succeeded. Well, Miggles, she scolded because I went along lookin’ so sneakin’; and ma, she said I never did have no pride or style about me; an’ so I braced up an’ went along, lookin’ as bold as a sheep. When we got down nigh the water, ma, her nerves gives way, an’ she caught a holt of the rope, about five foot above high water mark, and belt on to it like it was a matter of life and death, an’ she squat down in the dry sand, whar the water couldn’t reach her at all, an’ thar she sot, an’ we couldn’t make her budge. Such a figger! She hed on a grey dress, not half long enough for her, with red stripes runnin’ round an’ round it, an’ a pair o’ grey trousers that looked like they had been made for the man in the moon an’ was a misfit, an’ no socks, an’ a pair of great flat straw shoes, an’ then she hed a oilskin cap on her head to keep her hair dry. An’ thar she was, squattin’ in the dry sand, holdin’ on to that rope as though she was goin’ to drown every minit, and no water within six feet of her. Miggles scolded an’ I coaxed, but she only jest sot thar an’ shook her head. Bime by I lost all patience an’ grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down a little nigher the water, she a holdin’ back an’ kickin sand all the time. Purty soon thar came a wave that wet her feet an’ you should have heard that woman yell. “ Oh, ma,” said Miggles, “ every body is laughin’ at us !” “ Hev some forchichude, ma,” I says, “ ye can’t drown’d here.” But every time a wave came dust enough to wet her feet, blamed ef that misguided woman wouldn’t rise and stand straight up an’ yell like a Cf man che injin. But we coaxed and rastled with her, and edged her down cluster an’ cluster to the low water mark, when all of a suddent, ker sworsh ! comes a a wave that buried the hull caboodle o us in a perfeck cyclone of sand, sea weed, an’ brine. Poor Miggles was stood straight up onto her head. I was landed high an’ dry up on the sand, a layin’ on my back in the shape of a let ter X ; an’ ma ! Well, Mr. Barnaby, that woman belt on to the rope like grim death till that wave went back, an’ then she opened her mouth, blew out a gust of salt water, shook the sand out of her eyes, raised a war whoop that would jest ha’ made your hair stand on end, and let out acrost the sand for the bath-house, straddling along at a 2.40 gait an’ hol lerin’ like all creation every jump. Mr. Barnaby, sir, I’ll never forget that awful, inhuman spectacle ef I live to be a thousand years old. I didn’t know whether to cry, ’r laff, ’r sw’ar. I fol lered along to the bath-house, an’ put my head in at the door. “ Ma,” I says—“ ma, thur’s no fool like a old fool, is there ?” An’ ma she jest lifted up an’ hit me such a swipe acrost the head with that soakin’ ridikulous bathin’ dress of hers, thet fer a minit I thought the end o’ the house had fallen in on me. Well, sir, Mr. Barnaby, we didn’t go into the surf no more, ma an’ me didn’t. We lolled around down thar mebbe six weeks longer, an’ got into a few more fool scrapes, an’ when we hit out for home at last it was like cornin’ to Para dise, an’ I don’t want to get outside of Nodaway county agin fur the next ten year.

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1881.



Special Advertisements. The best value .FOB. READY MONEY IS THE MEN’S AND BOYS’ CLOTHING MANUFACTURED BY THE NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory, Which can be purchased at their Retail R—snches, all over New Zealand. A SINGLE GARMENT AT THE WHOLESALE PRICE. Thousands of the discerning customer-, testify that the New Zealand Clothing Factory’s Garments are the Very Best Yalue for Ready Money. Ashburton Branch EAST STREET. WM SPARROW, 751* Manager. O. Carstens & Co. (Late Weston’s), PROSPECT BUILDINGS, Tobacconist, fancy goods, AND STATIONERY. Meerschaum Pipes, G.B.D. Pipes Nailrod, Twist, and Vanity Fair Tobacco Musical Instruments, etc., etc. Haircutting, Shaving and Shampooing. EAST STREET, ASHBURTON.



Restitution. —The surveyors’ instru ments, recently taken by Renata’s people, have been returned. Labor. —Mr. Proudfoot, the Dunedin contractor, having secured the construc tion of a large railway in Australia has exported for the work several hundred workmen from Otago. This sudden with drawal of men who would otherwise have been available for the harvest has forced the Taieri farmers to fall back on the Chinese, and John has been extensively utilised in consequence. Commercial and fancy STATIONERY. The Undersigned has opened up a NEW ASSORTMENT of the above. Cream, Blue, and Hand - made Notepapers ; Ruled, Plain, Fancy, and Repp ditto. Good Business Envelopes, No. 7, Court, Albert, Queen, Tinted, Repp, and others. Pens G’.llott’s, Mitchell’s, Brandauer and Co.’s Inks—Stephen’s Blue Black, Walkden’s Black and Colored, Antonine, Copying, &c. Workboxes, Albums, Books, Ac. h. m. Tones, STATIONERY AND FANCY GOODS DEPOT, East Street and Baring Square. WANTED KNOWN,—That HENRY’S PORTRAIT BOOMS, Saunders’ Buildings, East street, Ash burton, are Open DAILY, from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Portraits taken in any weather. Great Reduction in Price. 101 a



Wanted. WANTED— A MAN to Milk Cows, and make himself generallj useful. W. S. Petek. Anaraa, 18th February, 1881. 145 a XXTANTED to take charge of, one or yV two CHILDREN. To anyon e with children wishing to take a situation this would afford an opportunity fir doing so. A comfortable home with moderate terms. Apply, by letter, to “ A.B. Office of this Paper. • 129 a WANTED KNOWN-SICKNESS.— L. F. ANDREWES, Bookseller, begs to inform his customers and the public generally that he has been obliged to CLOSE his SHOP for a few days, owing to temporary indisposition. 142 a WANTED TO SELL Twenty-five SECTIONS, Wakanui Road. Apply to Patching, Tent-maker, East Street. 898 WANTED TO SELL PIANOS. H. J. WEEKS, Teacher of Music, Tuner, &c., has for sale the following Secondhand Piano fortes :—1 full-sized Brinsmead, £45; 1 ditto Mornington, £4O ; 1 Cottage, Chal len and Hodgson, £3B; Bord, £25 ; Broadwood, £26 ; also, American Organ, 5 stops, £3O. Address: Cameron at. west. 86a WANTED KNOWN—The Largest and Best Stock of Saddlery is to be found at the shop of S. STEPHENS, Tinwald. Good strong Cart Collars from 135.; Cart Winkers, Bs. 6d.; Plough Back-bands. Cs. cash ; Cart Saddles and Breechens, from 505.; Reaping Machine Pole Straps, 2s. Farmers will make a great saving by buying of S. Stephens, Saddler, Tinwald. XXT" ANTED KNOWN. Ashburton V\ REGISTRY OFFICE for Male and Female Servants. — L. F. Andkewes begs to inform the public of Ashburton and surrounding districts that he has opened the .above. Male and Female Servants of all classes provided. Em ployers requiring servants, and all persons with good recommendations, who are in want of situations, are requested to apply to L. F. Andkewes, Labor Agent, Book seller, and Stationer, East street. South. ’ 527 WANTED KNOWN—That a Church of England minister’s wife writes that she saves Ten Shillings a Fortnight by using Harper Twelvetreed YUla Washer, Wringer, and Mauglir, com bined ; and, although she permits no rubbing, the clothes are beautifully white, and much cleaner than when done by hand, while the saving in mending has been astonishing. Sold by J. HERN, Range Maker and Importer, corner of Manchester and Tuam streets. Christ church ; Price—£9 10s. 700



WANTED KNOWN, SOMERSET LIVERY AND BAIT STABLES. JW. M'RAE begs to inform the , public that he has taken the above Stables from Mr. Bossenberg. and is making extensive repairs. Buggies and saddle horses on lire. Lowest prices and best attention. 352 Meetings. THE ASHBURTON TOWN HALL COMPANY. A MEETING of the Shareholders of the above Company will be held at the Town Hall at 8 o’clock THIS EV ENING, for the purpose of confirming the resolu tion authorising the Directors to borrow £1,600. Dated this 21st day of February, 1881. THOS. BULLOCK, 147 a Chairman of Directors. OALEDONIAN SOCIETY. ALTERATION of date of MEETING. —Owing to the Oddfellows’ Concert being held on the 28th, the ANNUAL MEET ING of the Caledonian Society will take place in Quill's Hotel on FRIDAY next, at 7.30. The Directors will meet at 6 p.m. on the same evening. J. MacLEAN DUNN, 143 a Hon. Sec. Amusements- J O. 0. F., M. U. LOYAL ASHBURTON LODGE, No, 6003. GRAND ANNIVERSARY Concert Of Vocal and Instrumental Music, Dances, and Comic Sketches, in the TOWN HALL, ASHBURTON, ON MONDAY EVENING, FEB. 28. The Loyal Ashburton Lodge, No. 6003, purpose celebrating their Anniversary with a Concert on the above date, when an ex cellent programme will be presented. A BaLL will take place immediately after the Concert. Doors open at half-past seven ; concert at eight prompt. JOSHUA TUCKER. N.G. 76a R. MINNIS, Secretary.



Lost. £1 Beward. LOST, in Trevorton, a POCKET CASE of SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS. Apply, Office of this Paper. 115 a To Let. TO LET, a well-finished HOUSE of Four Rooms, on East Town Belt. Apply, Mitchell and Turner. 148 a mO LET, with a purchasing clause, 164 JL acres of TUSSOCK LAND (broken up ready for cross ploughing) on the Cold stream run, about seven miles from the Hinds Station. Apply to Robert Gelling, at Mr. H. Smith’s Steam Turning, Carving, and Chair Works, Tuar.i street, opposite Montgomery’s, Christchurch. 127 a T O E T. A comfortable Four-Roomed T COT TAGE—bay window and verandah — in Peter street. Rent low. Apply, J. Olsen, on the premises. 116 a Railway Notices. Y. R. NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. (Christchurch Section.) NOTICE TO FARMERS AND GRAIN MERCHANTS. “VrOTIOE IS HEREBY GIVEN that l\ where bags contain more than four bushels of grain, the Excess Weight will in all cases be charged lor. FREDK. BACK, Traffic Manager, Traffic Manager’s Office, 144 a Christchurch, Feb. 16tb, 1881,