There was no medical employment on earth that I would not have jumped at blindfold, just then ; so I made, my appli cation, was accepted without any difficulty —with rather an ominous alaci itv, indeed ; and, after such poor preparations in the way of outfit as my ignorance suggested and my slender means could afford, I went on hoard the Alecto, which was lying off Greenwich, and found myself in medical charge of a captain, two mates, a lieutenant of the Royal Navy, in some mysterious capacity which I never rightly comprehended, twenty sailors, an officer of marines and his men, and 250 convicts The naval lieutenant was the only man on the quarter-deck when I went up the side.

“I am the surgeon,” I began, advancing towards him ; but, before I could say another word, he asked, abruptly : “ Can you plry at chess ? ” “ Yes, a little,” I replied. “I’m thankful, very thankful for that. Shake hands, sir. The marine body, Mr. Phips, no care for the game ; and how should we surveeve sich a protracted and tedious voyage without chess ? My name is Mac Nab, and I hope we shall be friends, sir.”

I said that I hoped so too, and we engaged in a conversation which was the reverse of inspiriting. I gathered from Mr. Mac Nab tliat the skipper had been unfortunate in former voyages ; that his mates were ruffians ; that the crew were very poor types indeed of the British sailor ; that the ship herself was a rotten hulk that ought to have been broken up years before. I went down to my cabin, which seemed absurdly small and low and dark, got my portmanteau there, and tried to make arrangements for future comfort. Then I studied the printed instructions I had re ceived, as to how often I was to inspect the convicts, Ac., and wondered what was to be done if they were refractory, and who had authority over me to prevent me shirking my duties ; for I had sole com mand, it seemed, of my particular depart ment. When I returned on deck I found the captain and Mr. Phipps there. The former had a red nose and watery eyes, which explained, perhaps, why he had been unfortunate with his ships; the latter was a gentlemanly fellow, enough, hut desponding and taciturn, his Fsilence being of the less importance that when he did talk he generally grumbled, which did not add to the cheerfulness of so small a party. His only solace was in making pen-and-ink sketches, at which he was very clever , landscapes, with chiaroscuro effects, involving an immense amount of time and labor, being his principal forte. Both he and Mac Nab were disappointed men, but the Scotchman was the better philosopher of the two. We four supped together, and in due time I went to my berth, and found out how to get into it. I felt like a toy put away on a shelf in a cupboard, for it was my first experience of ship accommodation. When you have learned to lie on your back and not want to move all night, to take enough oxygen into the lungs while on deck to last for the time you are below, and to be indifferent to cockroaches run ning over you, you get on a great deal better.

On reaching the deck next morning I found that we were under sail, and dropping down the river, which had grown very wide. It was not long before we were faily in the Channel, and the pilot got into his boat and left us.

There was a nice breeze, but the sea was perfectly smooth, and the ship glided through the water with a delightful glib ness ; so that I felt I ought to do some thing towards learning my duties while I was able, and confided to Mac Nab that I should like to hold an inspection of the convicts, who were all gathered on the main deck in charge ©f their warders and the marines, who mounted sentry over them with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets.

(to be continued.)

DODD’S TRAGEDY.

He came into the store with a face full of misery, and sat down upon a box beside the stove and began to cry. It was a queer thing for a man like that to do—a great rough laborer, fifty years or more. Some dreadful trouble must have come upon him to make him show his sorrow that way without disguise. The strangers stared sympathetically. After a while the proprietor of the store went up to him and said : “ Well neighbour, you seem to be in trouble ; can we help you any ?” The man did not look up; he shook his head and said : “No, no, no ! It’s very kind of you but nobody can help me. I suppose you all think I’m an old fool ; but she was all the family I had, and now she’s dead,” and a great tear splashed upon the floor. “ She’s dead. You can’t do me any good now ; but if you’d come around to my little shanty there about nine o’clock last night you might have done some good—l dunno. When a man is determined to make a brute of him self he’d do it, perhaps; but if there’d been some one there to say : ‘ Dodd, what on airth are you about ? ’ why, mebbe—-I dunno, tho’ I was mad. When a man is mad, and has had a glass too much, what’s the use of talking to him ? It’s fixed things for me. Any way —Lord, forgive me ! she’s dead,” The tears splashed down again, but the people looked at him with faces that had lost a little of their sympathy. “You did’nt —did’nt do anything to bring it on—whatever it was? ” said an old lady with a large basket on her arm. “ I shouldn't have thought it of you.” “Yes, I did—l did,” sobbed the man. “Ifit had not been for me it never would have happened. I loved her too. Yes I did love her. Nobody could say she’d ever had a hard word from me before in all the days we’d lived together; but last night I’d a glass too much, and I stopped at the butcher’s down in the village and bought a bit of steak —a man wants a change from pork once in a way—and she was fond of steak, she was, and I just fetched it in and said to her ; “We’ll have a supper to-night, eh ; ” and she sort of nodded and* winked at me jest as jolly, and then I went out to the well to draw water, and as a body does sometimes when anybody is in a hurry, I lost the bucket off, and I was a terrible time finding it, and when I went in —well, you see, I went in with an appetite— and there she sat, and—well I ain’t dainty, but I couldn’t have touched that steak to save me —apd I got mad. Well, I got madder than I ever was before, and I jest goes around and gave her a kick. Y'es I did. If I was to be hung for it to-morrow, I’d have to own up. J kicked her.” “Y T ou brute!” said the woman with the basket; “kicked her because your steak didn’t suit you ; well may you cry. ” “Yes’m,” said the man. “You can t speak harder to me than I feel to myself. I kicked her in the side, and, what is more, opened the

door and kicked her out of it, and then I jest sat down alongside of my fire and talked the worse kind to myself-—I did indeed Lord forgive me ! and I said I’d never let her in again. Yes’m, you can look as you like, at me —I deserve it—and then I went to bed. “ Went to bed and left her out in the cold ? said the old lady. “Never seeing whether she was dead or not ? ” “Yes, I did,” said the poor man, sobbing hard, “ More than that, I went to sleep I slept sound, too ; and what do you think waked me ? Why, her voice— I knew it from a thousand. It was the awfulest shriek, and then another, and it came all over me what I'd dene. I’d turned her, that had slept alongside of me winter nights more years than I could remember, out into the cold night. I’d kicked her out. Oh ! I was sober then. I tell you. I saw what a brute I was to do a thing like that, all fora bit of paltry steak, ancl I got up and went to the door and I called, hut she didn’t come. I called again, and then I heard her scream, but fainter and further off ; and then I felt a kind of horror come over me, and I dressed myself and took my lantern and went out. I walked this way and that. I looked and I called, I swung the lantern low and I held it high. There wasn’t a sign of her; and at last I got down to Bolton’s Pond, there by the edge of the woods, you know, ancl I heard a kind of a growling ; and past me, all in a hurry as they go when they’ve been doing mischief, flew those dogs of Bolter’s—fierce devils—but they knew enough to be afraid of me then.

“And when I saw them my heart stood still and I swung the lantern low again, and I saw her. She lay alongside the pond, and her gray bails were dabbled in blood, and the marks of dog’s teeth were on her neck; and I just took her up in my arms and carried her along the road home, and brought her to the fire, and there I cried over her and called her all the pet names lused to call her when I first had her a little, young thing; but it was’nt any use —she was just as stiff and cold, and I laid her on the bed and there she’s laid ever since. Oh ! its dreadful ! ”

“Yes, and you deserve to be hung,” said the old lady; “but, now, suppose she isn’t dead, and maybe she isn’t. Let us go over with you, and stop and fetch the doctor, hoiks have been brought to what seem dead. Any way it’s all right. “Well, I’ll do it,” said the man; “but it’s no use, I know. ” The proprietor of the store called his wife to wait on it, and he headed the procession of his customers, and they all went down to Dodd’s cabin, calling on the doctor as they passed his house, and taking him with them. But when they came to the lonely little house no one cared to he first to go in ; but at last the doc tor, as being used to such things, opened the door and stepped in. It was a mean little room, and furnished only with a table, two chairs, same shelves, and a bed, and on this bed sat his old grey cat washing her face. As soon as Dodd’s eye rested on this animal he uttered a cry of joy, and flew to her side ; but she uttered aloud “Mee-ow,” while her tail swelled to immense proportions. “ Oh, I don’t mind,” said Dodd; “I de serve you should he mad at me —anything, anything, so as you’re alive. She’s come to life again Glory, glory, glory !” “ Why, you don’t mean to say you were talking about a cat all the while ?” screamed the woman with lire basket. “You said she didn’t cook your meat properly, and —” “ Ma’am,” said Dodd,” I meant to say she eat most of it for me, and tore and chawed what she didn’t eat ; but she’s welcome. So that she’s alive, I don’t care. Though she’s weaned from me; I see that. Our happy limes are over ; she doubts me.” “ Called me in to a cat, indeed!” said the doctor.

“ Left my business lor a cat !” cried the storekeeper. “ Oh, what an old fool!” said the woman. “ Miaow !” yelled the attendant train of boys ; but old Dodd never looked at them. He listened to none of their insults, and they left him doing his best, with tears in his eyes,, to get that offended cat to take a little nnllc from a saucer that he held before her lips, and saying: “Oh, make up, pussy; your own Dodd will never do it any more.”

THE ASHBURTON HERALD.

\ Monday February 23, 1880.



Lost and Found. £1 REWARD. LOST— A dark GELDING, 6 years old, 2 white spots on each side of saddle ; white star on forehead, mark like P.R. on rump. Any person returning same, or giving information leading to its recovery, will receive above reward. 51c 501 g A. THIELE. Public Notices. TO CONTRACTORS AND FARMERS. WAGGON AND TEAM FOR SALE, By Private Treaty. FOR SALE, by private treaty, one first-class second-hand Waggon and six good Draught Horses, belonging to the Westerfield Estate. The new branch line being nearly ready for traffic, the pro prietor will have no further use for the waggon and team. Further particulars on applying to the undersigned, at the Westerfield Station. C. F. REED. 51Ga-fi9c February 15,1880.



NOTICE. TO MERCHANTS, STOREKEEPERS, AND OTHERS. ALL CLAIMS against the estate of the late CHARLES REED, Esq., of Westerfield, must be sent in by Feb. 29, 1880, to the undersigned, addressed to Westerfield. GBc-515g C. F. REED. NOTICE. I will not be responsible for any DEBTS contracted by my wife after date, she having left my home of her own will. T. P. GLEE.SON. Hinds River, Feb. 12, 1880. 504g-54c TO FARMERS, LIVERY STABLE KEEPERS, SPORTING MEN, AND OTHERS OWNING HORSES. GEORGE KIDD, Moore Street, EGS to announce the fact that the J 3 PRICE for SHOEING hacks and light draught HORSES is now REDUCED to 7s. per set, and that all horses of this description will be specially attended to by himself. Horses liable to cut are shod on a prin ciple of George Kidd's own invention, which has proved an effectual cure for brushing. All kinds of blacksmith’s work, and repairs to agricultural machinery of any description done on the shortest notice. GEORGE KIDD, 75c-52Gg Moore street, Ashburton.



T. Bullock. FTIHE undersigned has the following PROPERTIES to LET with a pur chasing clause, or FOR SALE on liberal terms of payment— -g £TA ACRES good WHEAT LAND, JLeJv/ a ]] ploughed and ready for cross ploughing for wheat ; situated about three miles from the township. (V 7 ACRES, near the above ; also good u 1 WHEAT LAND, ploughed once and ready for cross-ploughing. ACRES, partly improved, near Wins low. This will be sold very cheap, and on very liberal terms. F 7 ACRES, fenced and planted ; situated • nea.r the East Town Belt, good site for private residence. TOWN PROPERTIES. TALUABLE BUSINESS SITE in Bur ' nett Stx-eet, being T. S. 177, next the Mail” office. ID ART of T.S. 139, Peter Street. This will be sold cheap, and on liberal terms. TO Railway Employes, Mechanics, and Others.—FOß SALE, cheap, Lot 78, situated on East Town Belt. Terms, £5 cash ; balance by monthly or quarterly payments. T. BULLOCK. For Sale. TO PRINTERS. MACHINE FOR SALE. For sale.— One Second-hand Double Demy Tape Printing MACHINE, in thorough working order, with rollers, moulds, &c., complete. This machine has been replaced by a Double Royal Wharfedale, which necessitates removal of the Double Demy Machine formerly used for printing the “ Herald ” and “ Guardian,” for hand or steampower. Can be seen and all par ticulars obtained at our office. For a Country Office this Machine suits admirably, as it can easily be turned by hand, for which we have fitted a fly wheel and handle. Price £7O. WEEKS & DIXON. Ashburton, January 14, 1879 Publications. AGRICULTURAL PAPERS. PjpHE PUBLISHERS have much pleasure in intimating to the Farmers of the Couuty of Ashburton, that they have issued THIS DAY (Saturday), Jan. 10th, a reprint in pamphlet form of a selection of AGRICULTURAL PAPERS Read before the Lincoln Farmers’ Club, compiled by J. Stanley Bruce, Esq., Price One Shilling. Orders for the above pamphlet, ac companied by thirteen stamps, should be addresssed to WEEKS & DIXON, Publishers, East Street.



DIARIES ! DIARIES ! ! DIARIES ! ! ! have a few of LETTS’ DIARIES for 1880 on hand, an inspection of which s invited. OFFICE DIARIES, POCKET DIARIES, SCRIBBLING DIARIES, DIARIES of EVERY description WEEKS & DIXON, “ Herald ” and “ Guardian ” Offices, Near the Railway Station. FOE 1 S S O . The press almanac And Diary Can be obtained from the undersigned. Price—One Shilling. WEEKS AND DIXON, Herald Office, Near Railway Station. nnEACHERS can obtain the MULTI PLICATION TABLES, printed on gummed paper, in any quantity at the Herald Office, East street, near the Railway Station. Ball programme cards in very neat styles, with Pencils and Ribbons, printed at the Herald Office, East street, near Railway Station, Drawing paper, ail sizes, just opened at WEEKS AND DIXON, East street. FORMS PRINTED “To Let ” and ‘ ‘ For Sale ’ ’—can be obtained at tlia Herald Office.



Edmiston Bros. & G-undry. TURNIP SEEDS. SALE by tho undersigned— Green Top Yellow Aberdeen Purple „ „ Devonshire Grey Stone Mammoth Purple Top White Stone Stubble Grass and Clover Seeds. White Clover Red ~ Timothy Alsike Lucerne Gorse Italian Rye Cocksfoot Perennial Trefoil Ac. <fcC. , Ac. y Building Material. 100,000 FEET OF ASSORTED TIMBER White & Black Pine Black Birch T. and G. Flooring Y.D.L. T. and G. Lining Totara Kauri, &c., &c. COALS AND FIREWOOD IN ANY QUANTITY. EDMISTON BROS. & GUNDRY, East Street. Agents for the SOUTH BRITISH FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY. Capital £1,000,000. Risks taken on all kinds of Property, Growing Crops, Grain in Stack, Thresh ing Machines. EDMISTON BROS. & GUNDRY, East Street. Farms for sale in blocks of 50 to 100 acres. Price from £2 15s. per acre. EDMISTON BROS. & GUNDRY, East Street.



Hotels. BUTLER’S FAMILY HOTEL, ASHBURTON. J. F. BUTLER (Late of Araliura, West Coast) BEGS to inform his friends and the public generally that he has opened the above large and commodious hotel, which is situated at the CORNER OF CASS AND HAVELOCK STREETS, And is convenient to the Railway Station. Excellent accommodation for travellers, families, and boarders. All wines and spirits of the best brands. One of Alcock’s best billiard tables. 965 a



JOSEPH BALDWIN "Begs to inform his friends and the public that he Has Opened THE CENTRAL HOTEL, AT THE JUNCTION, WILLS STREET AND WAKANUI ROAD, ASHBURTON, THIS commodious hotel is situated within three minutes’ walk of the Railway Station. Table d’Hote daily at G p.m. Luncheon on the table from 12 to 2 p.m. The Jug and Bottle Department will be made a special feature, single bottles and small quantities being supplied at the lowest remunerative rates. Only the best quality of Wines, Beers, and Spirits procurable will be kept. J. BALDWIN, 540 Proprietor. R. JOHN LLOYD CRAWLEY. Stock, Land, Auctioneer, and Commission Agent. Farms, Town and Suburban Sections, for Sale and to Let. J. LLOYD CRAWLEY, AUCTIONEER, Offices, Saunders Buildings, Ashburton. 737 a



Business Notices. TINWALD BOOT AND SHOE SHOP, C. HAWKINS. CH. begs to inform the inhabitants of , Timvald and surrounding districts that he has taken the Boot and Shoe Shop adjoining Mr. S. Stephens’, saddler, and hopes by strict attention to business to obtain a share of public patronage. 742 g 937 a JOSEPH WARD, FAMILYBUTCHEE, PETER STPEET, (Opposite Journeau’s Smithy) “13 EOS to inform the Public of Ash- JL> burton that he will Open the Shop lately occupied by G. Pike, on JANUARY 3rd, as Family Butcher, and trusts by supplying none but agood article, to merit a share of public support. Families waited on daily for orders, which will receive prompt attention. JOSEPH WARD, 892 a Butcher.



C. PERCY COX, L AND AND ESTATE AGENT ANT VALUATOR, ASHBURTON. MONEY TO LEND ON APPROVED FREEHOLD SECURITY Agent for Union Insurance COMPANY OF NEW ZEALAND. 717 ASHBURTON COPPER, ZINC, IRON, & TIN PLATE MANUFACTORY. JOSEPH HYDE (Late Foreman at the Malvern Works England, and the Canterbury Works, - Christchurch, New Zealand) BEGS to thank his friends of Ashbur ton and surrounding districts for the liberal support accorded him during the past two years, and to intimate that he has opened NEW BUSINESS PRE MISES in Moore street (next Mr. Neate’s chemist shop) where he is prepared to execute every description of Plain and Japanned Tinware, Lamps, Gas Reflec tors, Chimney Tops, Portable Washing Boilers, Baths, Cheese Yats, etc. LOCKSMITH, BELLHANGER, GAS FIT TER. Artesian Wells, Beer Engines, Pumps, Ac. Steam Kettles, Hot Closets, made on the premises. Estimates given for Spouting. All work done under J. H.’s personal Superintendence, and guaranteed. J. HYDE, Moohe Street, Ashburton. I# NEW BUSINESS. CO-OPERATIVE BREAD AND BIS CUIT FACTORY. TRIANGLE, ASHBURTON, WILL OPEN ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2. All orders, town or country, punctually attended to. Wedding Cakes made to order. Dinner, Ball, and Pic-nic Parties sup plied on reasonable terms. All other Confectionery made to order. A. THIELE, 986 a Manager. ANSTEE’S DINING ROOMS, TANCRED STREET, ASHBURTON. THE Proprietor begs to inform visitors to Ashburton, and the travelling public generally, that the best accommo dation for Boarders in Ashburton is to be had at the above establishment. A LIBERAL TABLE & MODERATE CHARGES. MEALS AT ALL HOURS ... Is. BEDS Is- BOARD & LODGING ... 18s. & 20s. PRIVATE REFRESHMENT ROOM FOR LADIES. PROPRIETOR, J. G. ANSTEE. 985 a HAVE you Found Anything that don’i belong to you, and wisli to act on the square ?—Bring a Shilling to the Heisald’s Advertising Clerk. He’ll put your qualms of conscience at rest, and find the owner through the Twenty-Words fo” a-Shilling-Column, cash. nnHE PEN NY made the postal system 1 of England a success. So has it mad the Herald. Everybody buys the Herald,



Business Notices. T. R. HODDER & COMPy’S GREAT CLEARING SALE, Previous to their STOCK TAKING, COMMENCES Friday Next, Feb. 27 And will continue for ONE MONTH!!! ESPECIAL BARGAINS. Throughout all the Soft Goods Departments. A large lot of REMNANTS—Shirting, Flannel, Sheeting, Carpetings, Tweeds, Doeskins, Dress Stuffs, Ac., &c. Ladies’ Millinery, Costumes, Jackets, Capes, Underclothing &c., at Great Reductions. Boys’, Youths’, and Men’s Clothing. English and Colonial Colored Shirts. Flannel unders, &c., Ac. SPLENDID VALUE FOR THE MONEY Several lines in this Department LESS THAN ENGLISH COST PRICE, being bought during the depression from over stocked Markets. TAILORING DEPARTMENT In connection Avith the above, under the Superintendence of an experienced Lon don Military cutter. For price, style, Avorknianship, and perfect fit not to be surpassed in the colony. Ladies’ Habits and Mantles. Mourning and Wedding orders attended to Avith Dispatch. Military Uniforms. Contracts taken for any Volunteer Corps in NeAV Zealand .T. R. H. & Co. Knoaving that the Public may get avrong impressions by QUANTITIES AND PRICES BEING QUOTED, HAVE ARRANGED TO GIVE UPON ACTUAL CASH PAYMENTS IN THE DrATERA', MlL linery, Clothing, and Boot Depart ments, the liberal Discount of TWO SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE IN THE POUND uroN all Parcels oA r ER ten SHILLINGS, IN ADDITION TO THE REDUCED Prices. Cash, for One Month Only,



T. R. HODDER & COMPANY’S ENGLISH and AMERICAN SEWING MACHINE DEPOT. A complete assortment of Hand and Treadle Lock-Stitcli Sewing Machines. T. R. Hodder & Company are appointed agents for Wanzer Machines, that have gained such preference in Dunedin and South Canterbury, also for the Improved Wertheim, allowed to he one of the best Machines used in the Largest Factories. SINGER’S and WILSON’S TREADLES, With their peculiar advantages. TAYLOR’S and HOME TREASURE HAND-SEWING MACHINES, Simple in working and of great durability. Extras of every description with the above. CASH, OR ON DEFERRED PA YMENTS T. R. HODDER AND COMPANY,



Business Notices. VALUE EXTRAORDINARY. THE Great Bargains OF THE SEASON. GREAT CLEARANCE SALE FOR THIRTY DAYS. ORR AND CO. HAVING resolved to clear out the Balance of the Bankrupt Stocks purchased by them during the Season (amounting to over ten thousand pounds) regardless of cost so that they may commence the Autumn Season with en tirely a new Stock, ORR AND CO. Will also offer several cheap lots pur chased by them during the late depression. Special Bargains. 90 Pair Twilled Kaiapoi Blankets at 4s. under the usual price. Kaiapoi Flannel at Is. 4d., Is. 6d. to 2s. English Flannel at Is., Is. 2d., Is. 6d., to Is. 9d. Prints at sd. and 6d., worth 9d. Brown Hollands, 7d. to Is. COSTUMES. 56 Costumes at 215., worth 355. 6d., a Bargain. 04 Print Costumes at 7s. 6d. to 12s. 6d., worth 20s. 1700 yards Dress Goods, Alpaccas, at Bd., lOd., and Is. MILLINERY. Trimmed and Untrimmed Hats at half price. 2 Boxes Flowers, sold at 6d. per spray. Ladies’ Underclothing at very much under usual prices. 20 Dozen Stays at 3s. Gd., 45., 4s. 9d., to ss. 6d. CLOTHING. Men’s Suits at 15s. under usual prices. Boys’ Suits at 15s. Od. to 355. Youth’s Suits at a little over half-price. Braces, Ties, Collars, Socks, and Shirts, unusually cheap. 20 Dozen Harvest Shirts at Is. Od. to 2s. Gd. BOOTS. Men’s Boots still sold at Bankrupt prices. Youth’s Boots in great variety. Ladies’ Kid Boots at old prices. 1 Case Children’s Boots at Is. and Is. od., a bargain.



TAILORING DEARTMENT. WE HAVE MUCK PLEASURE IN ANNOUNCING TO THE PUBLIC THAT A Tailoring Branch HAS BEEN OPENED IN CON. NECTION WITH OUR CLOTHING DEPARTMENT, HAVING MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH MESSRS. CRAIGHEAD AND CO. (LATE OF EDINBURGH AND SAN FRANCISCO), PRACTICAL TAILORS, TO MAKE UP ALL ORDERS EN TRUSTED TO US IN THE VERY BEST STYLE.



A PERFECT FIT GUARANTEED. SCOTCH, ENGLISH, and COLONIAL TWEEDS IN GREAT VARIETY. THE CELEBRATED BLARNEY TWEED (CORK) KEPT IN STOCK. FANCY COATINGS IN GREAT VARIETY. SUITS from £4 4s. DRESSMAKING DEPARTMENT. Dresses, Costumes, and Jackets made up to order, under the superintendence of a first-class Dressmakei’. WEDDING & MOURNING ORDERS PUNCTUALLY ATTENDED TO. ORR AND CO., IMPORTERS ASHBURTON AND RAKAIA