A ROMANTIC MARRIAGE.

A New York correspondent supplies the following : —London society, if we are correctly informed on this side of the water, has heard and seen a great deal at various times of the rich and dashing American widow, Mrs. Hicks, whose name has been mentioned in connection with certain marriageable members of the British aristocracy, and whose entertainments in the British capital were recently described at stu pendous length in the society journals. London will perhaps be interested, therefore, in the extraordinary incident which has made her (for the first time in her life) the talk of New York. She returned from Europe only a few weeks ago, and on the strength of her as sumed successes in London, she would perhaps have taken a prominent posi tion in society at home, but for this unexpected event. For on the last day of the year she eloped with a wealthy widower of eighty-three, and the first intimation of the nuptials con veyed even to the six sons and daugh ters of the happy man was a notice in the morning papers that Thomas Lord had been duly married by His Emi nence Cardinal McCloskey to Annette W’iThelmina Wilkens Hicks. Except for the trifling circumstance that Mr. Lord is more than an octogenarian, with considerably more than one foot in the grave, the wedding was deli ciously romantic. It was performed quietly—l may say secretly—at the Cardinal’s house ; the bride and groom immediately disappeared, and nobody knows what has become of them. Mr. Lord has a fortune of about a million and a-half «of dollars, mostly in city Teal estate. He is very infirm ;he has had one stroke of paralysis, and it would appear from recent statements that he has been for a long time inca pable of managing his affairs. The •age of Mrs. Hicks is said to be forty three. Immediately on the discovery ■of the marriage, the sons of Mr. Lord applied to the Courts for a commission dc lunat'uo inquireudo, supporting it by some very curious affidavits, and the writ was promptly granted. Mr. Lord, in the meantime, is enjoined from part ing with any of his property. It is as certained, however, that he has recently converted various securities into cash, ami drawn considerable sums of money from the bank, of which no trace can be found.

ANOTHER POMPEII.

We stated briefly on Thursday that considerableexcitement had been caused in Southern Italy by the disentombment of another Pompeii. The London Times' correspondent gives the following details:—

The scene is in the neighborhood of Manfredonia, on the Adriatic coast, about 140 miles north-north-west of Brindisi, in the low-lying ground which stretches trom the foot of Monte Gar gano to the sea; and the ancient city W:iich has been revealed is Sipuntum. Already the discoveries have brought to light a Temple of Diana and a colon nade about 65 feet long, and have partially explored an underground ne cropolis which seems to be about 40 feet or 45 feet square. A portion of the inscriptions and numerous interest ing objects which were found have been already deposited in the National Mu seum at Naples, and the Italian Government has given the requisite instructions in order that extensive explorations shall at once be carried on in a proper manner. The disappearance of Sipuntum was not owing to showers of volcanic ashes, similar to those that buried its Neapolitan sisters, but to a sinking of the site on which it stood, the effect, probably, of successive earth quakes. It was a lucky fate, for to it we owe its preservation in its present state. The depression has been so great that the ancient buildings now lie at an average depth of 20 feet below the level of the surrounding plain. A por tion of the existing town of Manfredonia is built over the remains of ancient Sipuntum, exactly as Dr. Schliemann found one town superimposed over the yet existing remains of another at Hisar lik. Sipuntum was originally a Greek colony of unknown date. Tradition, as is the case of many other ancient cities of Apulia, attributed its foundation to

Diomede. It was old when the Romans re-settled all ,that country after the second Punic war. It was then, pro bably, its name took the form by which it is historically known. The original name was Sipus or Sipons, given to it, most likely, from the cuttle-fish {sepia) cast up on the neighboring shore. From this the Romans formed Sipuntum, in the same way as Tarentum, Hydruntum, and others. It was never very flourish ing ; indeed Apulia never recovered the awful devastation of the Punic war. Still it managed to preserve its exis tence, while other ancient cities were disappearing so thoroughly that no tradition lingers even of their site. But by the middle of the thirteenth century, we are told, it was considered very un healthy on account of its sunken position and the marshes by which it was surrounded ; the effect, doubtless, of the depression of the ground which had been already established. So in 1251, Manfred, the son of the Emperor Frederick 11., then King of Southern Italy, transferred the population to a new town, which he built in a higher and more healthy situation, and which was called after him Manfredonia. Thenceforward old Sipuntum was de serted and handed over to the earth quakes, which seems to have dealt with it tenderly ; not rudely shaking it into ruin, but wrapping it in clay and tufa sand so effectively as to hide it away for six centuries. We must not expect dis coveries of such surpassing interest and importance as those of Pompeii and Herculaneum, but doubtless many valuable memorials of Roman provin cial will be brought to light.

A MIRACLE.

According to a letter from Moscow in the Cologne Gazette, crowds of peo ple, on foot and in carriages, have been lately proceeding to the Sakolniki Park in that city, to look at what is com monly believed by the Russians to be a miraculous manifestation of the ap proval by Providence of the Russian crusade against the Turks. At the be ginning of the Crimean war the papers of St. Petersburg and Moscow gravely stated that the Virgin Mary had ap peared at the battle of the Alma, stretching out her hand as if to protect the Russians, though without success. It was also generally reported that St. Sergius had come to the Emperor Nicholas in his room, and had given him a wooden cross as a sign ot vic tory. The present “ miracle ”is merely that in a pond of water in the park which has been partly frozen over, the portion which has remained liquid is in the shape of a St. Andrew’s cross ; and to go to this pond and make the sign of the cross in presence of the “ mir acle,” is regarded by the good people of Moscow as a sacred du*y- One of the Moscow papers, the Sovrcmmcnoyc Isvestve, predicts that after the present war will come the Millennium.

AN OLD DECEIVER.

It was amusing to see the air of im portance assumed by the old fraud as he briskly entered a Woodward avenue restaurant yesterday. He coughed loudly, put his hand to his breast pocket, and said to the proprietor : “ Ahem —ah —I suppose you have wines? ”

“ Yes, .sir.” “ I suppose you have wines fit for my Christmas board ? ” “ I have.” “ And—ahem —you could let me taste a sample, I suppose?” “ I can,” answered the proprietor, and he handed down a wine-bottle which he had filled with beer-slops, molasses, and butter-milk for just such occasions. The old fraud took a deep “ swig,” set the bottle down, and as he drew his mouth clear around over his right shoulder-blade, he said : “ That goes right to the spot! I’ll call in at noon and have you send up twelve bottles! ”

When he got out of doors he seemed undecided whether to hold his mouth open or shut, and now and then he indulged in a horse-like cough. He halted aud looked into a candy store for a minute, but his mouth didn’t water. On the contrary, his scowl darkened, and as he turned away he said : “ Waugh ! I wouldn’t even lick a grindstone if it was sugar-coated ! ”

THE EVENING ECHO, SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1878,



STATUARY! STATUARY! A GRAND Display of some of the Finest Models extant. Casts from the works of the Best Masters. A Rare Chance for the Adornment of the Drawing-room, Portico, or the Garden. Visit our Shop To-night, and see the Display. FURNESS and DIXON, STATIONERS’ HALL, EAST STREET. MR . S . B . SEYMOUR, SURGEON DENTIST, Christchurch. At the request of a number of the residents, Mr. Seymour will visit Ashburton monthly. First visit, Saturday noon, to Monday afternoon, April 28th, at Quill’s Hotel. r ORD, HUGHES, & CO. L-y GRAIN AND PRODUCE MERCHANTS, Shipping and Commission Agents, Make Liberal Advances on Grain or other produce for shipment to their agents in the Australian Colonies or London. Cornsacks and Woolpacks supplied at lowest current rates. Indents executed from all parts of the world. Offices—High Street, Christchurch.



MRS. E. PETERSON, DRESSMAKER, (Two doors from the Echo Office). All orders executed with neatness and with promptness .



STORAGE. GRAIN and other PRODUCE STORED on Account of Farmers, at Lowest Rates. SAUNDERS BROTHERS, Ashburton and Christchurch. LOTTO, Draughts and Draught Boards, Dominoes, Cards and Cribbage Boards, &c., at FURNESS AND DIXON’S, East-street, Ashburton. J. G. ANSTEE, BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. Every description of Carpentering, and all kinds of Jobbing Work, Shop Fittings, &c., done on the most reasonable terms. Pictures Mounted and Framed !



W. R. BOYLE, E STATE AND GENERAL AGENT, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. <<npllE EVENING ECHO.” Town Agent, MR. A. WESTON, Tancrecl-street. BOOKS ! BOOKS ! BOOKS ! TC'URNESS and DIXON have on Sale a J- Choice Assortment of Interesting and Popular Works, including the following;— Sunday at Home for 1577. Leisure Hour for 1877. Child’s Companion for 1877. Little Wide Awake lor 1877. Saved from the Sea, by Kingston. Robinson Crusoe, 100 Illustrations. Swiss Family Robinson, 300 Illustrations. Roys Book of Sports. Every Boys Annual. Ethel Clinton. Little Hazel. Polly and Jack. Nannette Dampier. Prince Übbely Bubble. Told in the Twilight. Aunt Martha’s Corner Cupboard. By Hesba Stretton, — Fern’s Hollow. Cassy. Little Meg’s Children. Max Kramer. Lost Gip. Friends till Death. Kardoo, the Hindoo Girl. Trot’s Letters to her Doll. , Our New House. Melbourne House. Unele Tom’s Story of his Life. Turnaside Cottage. The Twins of Saint Marcel. The Lost Father. Christinas at Annesley. By A.L.O.E., — Miracles of Heavenly Love. Fairy Frisket,



"IV/T EDICAL. —An L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., L.M., Edinburgh, First Honorman and Medalist, aged 2S years, married, would be glad to hear of an appointment in New Zea land. Would manage a branch or accept of junior partnership in a good practice, for ■which premium would be accepted out of proceeds. Advertiser is strictly steady and energetic, has had much experience in all branches, and holds a number of first-class testimonials from eminent men in the pro fession. Address, with full particulars, to DR. WM. BENNETT, P.O. Box 42, Ashburton, Canterbury. MESSRS BULLOCK & CO., Ashburton, General Merchants, Auctioneers, Stock, Sta tion, Estate, and Commission Agents. Sales of Stock, Farm Implements, &c., will be held at their Yards, Ashburton, every alternate Thursday. CASH Advances made on Stock, Produce, &c., consigned for Positive .Sale. BULLOCK & CO. THE undersigned is a CASH BUYER of OATS, BARLEY, GRASS SEED, WHEAT, CHEESE, and OTHER FARM PRODUCE, At highest Matkct Prices. Cornsacks supplied at ruling prices. 11. B. SORENSON. Christchurch. HpO LET A FURNISHED, OCCA- J- SIONAL ROOM, in a Central position. Can be had on application to ALPHA, “Echo” Office. TO LET. A SHOP IN EAST STREET, next door to Mr. San no’s. Enquire at the ECHO Office. BUSINESS NOTICE. L . WILSON, AUCTIONEER, VALUATOR & BROKER, Lichfield Street, Christchurch.



WILL IMPORT FOR THE NEXT SEASON, REAPERS AND BINDERS. JOHN ANDERSON, Canterbury Foundry, Having made arrangements for the im portation of each description of each machine, viz : The WOOD, The McCORMICK, and The OSBORNE, With all the latest improvements for next season’s harvest, begs respectfully to state that he will KEEP A STAFF OF EXPERTS In the district during harvest To Fit Up and Keep in Order, Which, with a supply of extras for each machine, will be a guarantee against stoppages. Early orders will oblige, to save dis appointment.



ANTED Runners for the Evening Echo. Good wages to smart boys. RAILWAY FOUNDRY, CHRISTCHURCH. SCOTT BROS., ENGINEERS, &c„ BEG to inform their customers and the public generally that they have REMOVED To new and commodious premises in MANCHESTER STREET SOUTH, Near the new passenger station. Manufacturers of Railway Contractors’ Plant, Flax Dressing Machines and Presses, Wool Presses, Agricultural and all descriptions of Machinery. Plain and Ornamental Railing, Gates, and Tomb Fencing. Stoves and Cooking Apparatus. Drawings prepared, and estimates given for all kinds of Engineering and Machinery. Repairing done with expedition.