THE STORY-TELLER.

THE DISRUPT ION: A TALE OF TRYING TIMES.

CHAPTER XXl— continued.

Mr. Bacon did not intend to keep this long a secret After dinner he 'produced an immense book of dried botanic specimens, and placing it on the table before the young lady, said — “ I hope Miss Stimperton, you and Mr. Afleck will amuse yourselves for a little in turning over my liortus siccus, and excuse me while I speak a word with Mr. Duncanson in private.” This was readily assented to; and, while Robin took an opportunity of displaying some of his recently-acquired knowledge in botany, and Shusie (for a wonder) ex pressed surprise that Mr. Bacon thought it worth while to keep withered dockens and nettles in a book, that learned gentleman took Mr. Duncan son into another room, and there opened a very delicate subject, with a good deal of ingenious circumlocution, and what he intended for great tact. . After due preparation, he said—“ Now, Mr. Duncanson, I wish to ask you a question which I hope you will answer conlidentiallv and without reserve.” “ Well sir ? ”

“ Are you in love ? ” The student blushed, looked per plexed, and neither could well answer the question nor evade it. At length he said, hesitatingly and with evident reluctance to be explicit—“ Well, I don’t know but I am ”

Ay, I was afraid of that,” answered Mr. Bacon, “ I was afraid of that, sir. It is very foolish of you, Mr. Duncan son, and an unfortunate business for both of us. I thought I had warned you so well against such a weakness that there would be no danger of your falling into it. But I see there is no use in the |best advice when it can be " acted on neither by the giver nor the receiver. The case would not have been so bad if you had taken a fancy for any one else.” “ Than whom ?” “ Miss Stimperton, to be sure.” , “ Oh, you may keep your mind at : ease on that point. There'is no ground whatever for your suspicion.” “Is there not? Are you not in love, then, with Miss Stimperton. “-No.” “ Well, lam delighted to hear it. I must confess. I am a good deal in terested—the fact is, positively in love • —with her myself.” “ Impossible !” “ Perfectly possible, and true too.” “You, Mr. Bacon, who have such

a contempt for women, and all who. associate with them ? You, who can not endure-the restraints of female in fluence, and look on the sex as the bane of intellectual excellence ? You, who live so contented in a single state, and entertain a horror of petticoat neighborhood? The thing is past be lief. You must be joking.” “There is no joke in the matter; but you are proceeding on false pre mises. You assume that there can be no exception among women to the faults which characterise the sex. and so did I. But I find. I have been mis taken. I under estimated the richness of nature, and did not imagine it pos sible she could produce a specimen of womankind so perfect as. Miss Stimper ton. Bless your soul, sir! she is not properly to be accounted a woman at all. She is more of an angel. Other women are restless, frivolous, vain, coquettish creatures; never content without keeping everything in a turmoil about them, and continually docking down men’s habits to suit their own

petty ideas. But this beautiful nymph

-breathes the very spirit <sf,‘meekness ' and serenity from every feature of her ,lovely face. She has neither imperti nent curiosity, conceit, caprice, nor perversity. I verily believe she has ' been created expressly for my comfort. She is the very personification of heavenly beauty and gentleness; so recollect, Mr. Duncanson, that while I avow.my love for her, lam still con • sistent.in my aversion to the'female sex in general. There is no rule without an exception you know, and an excep ' tion only proves the rule.” “ Miss Stimperton is certainly very amiable, good natured, and pliable; but I am not sure if even-she would . think it her duty, were she advanced to - the honor of sharing your lot, to con " form to all the habits you have ac quired in the fulness of your bachelor freedom.”

, “Her duty 1 She would know no duty but to accomodate herself to my will and pleasure. I am sure of that, else I should not doat on her as I do. But what habits do you allude to ? ” “ Why, for instance, smoking in bed, having no regular hours for sleeping, eating, dressing, and making a work shop and laboratory of the best rooms in your house.” “ Well, I can’t believe she would attempt to interfere in any of these matters. I see, sir—l plainly perceive

-—by the respect she pays to all I say and do—that she thoroughly under stands and appreciates my character; and I shan’t be fool enough to let such an inestimable jewel slip through my fingers.” “ But perhaps it may not be easy for you to secure her after all.” “ How? Not easy for me to secure her! Consider, Mr. Duncanson, that independently of my personal merits, I am a man of property and high con nections. Few ladies would refuse; how should you suppose Miss Stimper ton could? Isn’t she but a country girt—the sister of a humble ffarmer-i

and without expectations or wealthy relatives ? ”

“ Yes, very true; but suppose she should have no personal objections, but, on the contrary, a high respect for you—still there may be obstacles—she may be engaged.” “ True, true; I did not think of tiiat; but I fondly hope she is is not. You must try to find out if she is, but I dare say Mr. Afleck will manage such a piece of business better. Pray be so good as to send him to me, and keep the young lady company for a little, till I have some talk with him concern ing her.” These requests were imme diately complied with ; but Mr. Dun canson found it no easy task to keep up a conversation with Miss Stimper ton.- She had nothing to say herself except what was drawn from her in the shape of answers, and these were of the briefest. Neither did she seem to take much interest in any subject that could be started, for she was equally void of curiosity and information. What charm her society could have for such a loquacious and discursive talker as Mr. Bacon, it is not easy to imagine, except by supposing that the eccentric bachelor valued a good-na tured disposition to listen, which she possessed in a supereminent degree, above all other qualifications in a com panion. When Mr. Bacon and Robin Afleck returned to the dining-room, the former seemed . possessed with anxious thoughts, and the latter almost bursting with subdued merriment. Mr. Bacon instantly betook himself to smoking, without ever consulting the feelings of his guests, or supposing that it could possibly annoy them. His taste for the Indian weed was stimulated pre cisely like Robin’s stomach for food— by the pangs ot love. Me soon filled all the room with such a cloud that it was impossible for the company to see each other; and he was the first to feel the inconvenience of this himself, for it prevented him seeing Miss Stimperton, except when he made a pause and blew away the murky wreaths which rolled between them, and this he did more than once. At length he had the grace to make himself more agreeable by volunteering a tune on an anomalous looking piece of furniture, which lie said was an organ of his own building. It had been partly converted into a clothes’ press, and for many a day had not been used for any other purpose. Nevertheless most of its machinery was entire, and, though sadly out of order, and coated with cobwebs and dust, the instrument was not much worse than ever. The first effect Mr Bacon pro duced by touching the bellows-pedal, was to set a colony of mice scampering and squeaking, in the interior, where they had long been established and had never before been molested. Next, the organ itself spoke out, but in tones so disonant and discontented like, that it seemed grumbling at being disturbed from long repose. By dint of hard work, Mr. Bacon did eventually manage to extort from the crazy instrument some resemblance to a tune which he obligingly informed his audience was “ Black-eyed Susan.” He then began to hum, as a vocal accompaniment, the words : All in the Downs the fleet was moor’d, The streamers waving in the wind— As he proceeded with the song, his voice rose over that of the organ ; he twisted himself into so many strange contortions, and threw up his eyes with such a grotesque expression of senti mentality, that Mr. Duncanson and Robin Afleck had a hard struggle to preserve their gravity, but Miss Stim perton was overpowered with unaf fected admiration. Mr. Bacon’s theory that she had been specially created for him really did seem plausible enough for perhaps no other woman in exist ence would have been so delighted with his music, or delighted him by applauding it as sincerely.

(To be continued• —commenced on July 26,)

“Depression.”

Perhaps there is no district in the colony that has become so well ac quainted, from familiar use, with the word “ depression” as has this district of Ashburton, for it has been in every man’s mouth for the past eighteen months, and in too many cases with good reason. The depression weighed upon this district with double force. The county was young, and though widely settled the settlement was only of recent date. Every farmer was but, so to speak, breaking up new ground, and his capital was all laid out in the expenses that all new beginners must incur. Nor was this condition the case with farmers alone, traders aud trades men generally were similarly situated. The farmers are the backbone of this district, and upon their success depends that of the township, and of everybody in the neighborhood who does not fol low agriculture for a livelihood. In this matter all our eggs are in one basket, themore’s the pity. Let us hope the speedy introduction of manufactur ing industries will change this condition of things, and to some extent at least relieve our almost total dependence on the price of wheat and wool in the Lon don market. We said we felt the de pression with double force. A com mercial crisis that affected the whole world touched New Zealand’s shores as it passed, and the colony, also young, suffered from the impact. Young Ash burton suffered in the general convul sion, but more intensely, for in addition to the depression that everywhere was being felt we encountered two bad sea f sons in succession, and the general

hard times reached us when we were suf fering most from the effects of a harvest that yielded scarcely anything. It was then that all over the colony our credit fell, as a district, and to mention Ash burton in any of our leading towns was to speak of a district that was in bad odor, 4,and people ominously shook their heads, as though a place had been '.mentioned upon which a curse had . alighted. It was, perhaps, after all, not an unmixed evil that the county was so regarded, for the hungry name the place had got helped, to keep away from it many people, who, driven out by the hard times from the reputedly more prosper ous places, would have made Ashburton a land-fall and a rendezvous. Had we maintained the name we possessed for being a sort of second Caanan, or Land of Promise, the place would very soon have become a second Cave of Adul lam, and the refugees to it would have been considerably less select than were those that flocked to the standard of the youthful future King of Israel. We have to a great extent got over all our troubles. The financial atmosphere has been greatly purified, and we are once more on the high road to pros perity. We are led into this strain by what we read and learn of other towns and districts. From .the one end of the colony to the other we hear of rapid depopulation taking place—-of emigration flowing in a steady stream of no small volume from this colony to the adjacent ones and to America, and of general slackness everywhere. A correspondent tells us that at this moment there are from three to four hundred empty houses in Wellington that even the sitting of Parliament failed to fill, and we know that were a Com missioner to visit every town in the colony with a view to reporting on this subject, his report would take a more or less dark color. The same corres pondent tells a sad tale of the state of the labor market—a tale that we fear could be too generally told over the co lony, and when we compare our own dis trict with others around us we certainly have reason to congratulate ourselves. True, we are not yet at the highest pinnacle of prosperity—very far from it; but, as compared with many other places with a better no me, we are a good deal better off than we might have been, and there are few districts so well, all things considered. After all, it is perhaps better that we should have been set down as “ rotten” by our high-headed neighbors, for that character saved us from an influx of the halt, and the maimed, and the blind —financially speaking, of course,—and enabled us to pull through, bearing only the troubles that were our own. We can at least afford a living to our working men, if that living is none of the fattest, and the cry that arises from other towns.shows that they cannot all do so much.

The Glanders in Man or 'Beast.— In all European countries stringent sani tary and other measures are taken to prevent glandering horses from communi cating the disease to other equines or man. Notwithstanding this, instances are not rare of the communication of this dread disease to man. When such is the case, there is no help. The person is doomed, so far as human help is con cerned. Physicians may mitigate the suffering, but cannot prevent death, and, as a rule, in the human subject the dis ease runs its course sooner than in horses affected. In the case of a horse suspected of glanders the animal should be imme diately isolated until the advice of a com petent veterinary surgeon, can he had. If an individual suspects that he has re ceived the virus, and we have known it to be communicated simply by a person drinking out of a horse bucket previously contaminated by a glandered horse, he should immediately seek the best pro fessional advice possible. Glanders is absolutely incurable ; the animal or man contaminated with the disease must cer tainly die when the disease runs its natural course. The disease may be tem porarily alleviated by proper treatment, but it surely, although sometimes slowly, undermines the constitution, and ulti mately ends in one of the most loathsome forms of death. Taking the Oath.— lt seems that the taking of an oath has had its difficulties and its humors in a less imposing place than the British House of Commons. The other day a man, who is either a great simpleton or a wag, was to give evidence to character at one of the local courts in Berlin. He was told that he must swear before giving bis evidence, but he was so impervious to the arguments addressed to him by the council of the party in whose interests he had been brought forward, that the President of the Court was obliged to take the conduct of the business into his own hands. “ Witness,” said the President, “I must now have you sworn. Lift up your hand high, as I do—l swear.” The witness was silent. The President, raising his voice, said again— “ I swear ! ” The witness was still silent. The President grew a little angry. “Do you not hear me 1 ” he asked ; ‘‘ Now —I swear!” “Yes, yes, Herr President,” replied the man, “I hear that you swear.” “My good man,” said the Judge, “it is you who must swear.” “ Oh, that is quite another thing,” said the placid witness. “I thought you wanted to swear yourself; hut if you demand ,me to swear in the name of the law, it is of course my duty to comply— d n it ! ”

Holloway’s Ointment and Tills.— Diseases of the skin, ringworm, scurvy, jaundice, scrofula or king’s evil,sore heads, and the most inveterate skin disease to which the human frame is subject, cannot lie treated with a more safe and certain remedy than Holloway’s Ointment and Tills, which act so peiculiatly on the constitution and so purify the blood, that these diseases are at once eradicated from the system, and a lasting cure obtained. They are equally efficacious in the cure of tumors, burns, scalds, glandular swellings, ulcerous wounds, rheumatism, contracted and stiff joints. Ihese medicines operate mildly and surely. The cures effected by them are not temporary or apparent only, but complete and permanent.

THE ASHBURTON HERALD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1880.



Public Notice. TWENTY POUNDS REWARD. rjjUJE above reward will be paid to an) 7 |_ person who shall give such informa* tion as will lead to th i conviction \of any one committing a breach of the Law Practitioners or other similar Acts or Odinances, by preparing Deeds or other Legal Documents, or in any way what ever. BRANSON and PURNELL. F. P. O’REILLY. EDWD. G. CRISP. C. W. IRELAND. 853c-198g rnl-IE NATIONAL MUTUAL LIFE X ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRAL ASIA (LIMITED). Established 18G9. Actuary and Secretary —J. M. Templeton, F.I.A. The MOST LIBERAL and EQUIT ABLE OFFICE for Life Assurance in the Australasian Colonies. The best office for young men. Profits divided every three years., Offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Wellington, and Hobart Town. The New Zealand Branch—A LOCAL INSTITUTION, investing all moneys in the colony. Resident Secretary Thomas Swain, Temple Chambers, Featherston street, Wellington. Agent for the County of Ashburton— S. 'SAUNDERS (of the firm of Saunders Bros.), Ashburton. Note the name—The National Mutual. 169g-S2lc ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL. ASHBURTON POUND. *]VT OTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that J3J TENDERS for ONE OR, MORE YEARS are .invited from persons willing to undertake the duties of POUKD KEEPER of the Ashburton Pound. The successful tenderer will receive as remuneration all fees for impounded animals, as laid.-down by The Canterbury Trespass of Cattle Ordinance, 1872, and will also have to comply as to any other details connected with the appointment with the provisions of the said Ordinance. Tenderers are, therefore, requested to state how much per annum they are willing to pay to the Council for the privi lege of collecting these fees. A House of four rooms is attached to the Pound, for the use of which the suc cessful tenderer will have to pay to the Council ten shillings per week as rent during the term of his tenancy of the Pound. All payments to be made monthly in advance. The appointment to commence on-the 20th October, 1880. A copy of The Canterbury Trespass of Cattle Ordinance, 1872, is on view at the Council’s offices to intending applicants. The highest or any tender not neees rarily accepted. with references, endorsed, “ Tender for Poundkeeper,’ Ashburton,” will be received up to 10 a. m. on WED NESDAY, 6th October, 1880. • By order, F, MAIN WARING, Clerk.



Ashburton, September 9, 3880. 215g-883c For Sale. FOR SALE. A GOOD Brick Four-roomed HOUSE, jr\_ with back kitchen, wash-house, and boiler, all well finished and complete, good out-houses, and every convenience, Quarter-acre Section, nicely fenced, well cultivated, with a number of trees planted thereon '; very cheap ; can be had on terms. ' Also, Quarter acre SECTION adjoining, well fenced. Full particulars bv applying to “P. H.W.,” Herald Office. 798 c



Business Notices. THE SOUTHLAND TIMBER YARDS. THE UNDERSIGNED -BEGS to in form his friends and the public gene rally, that he has made arrangements with the best SAWMILLS in Southland for a constant Supply of Building Timber, including Red and White Pine FLOORING LINING SKIRTING ARCHITRAVES MOULDINGS and will open the same OCTOBER Ist, 1880, at his yards, WEST STREET, ASHBURTON. JOSHUA TUCKER, 217g-884c Proprietor. [a CAM).] TO BUSINESS MEN, FARMERS, AND OTHERS OF ASHBURTON. G ENTLEMEN,—In consequence of the high costs ruling here in reference to obtaining the simplest of LEGAL DOCUMENTS, and in consideration of my having had seven years’ experience as Law Cleric in Christchurch and Ashburton, I beg to inform you I have opened a DEEDS OFFICE and AGENCY, where all Bankruptcy and other Legal Business will be attended to through me. E. WADMAN, Up-stairs office, Saunders’ Buildings. 839c-189g East street, Ashburton.



Business Notices. LATEST STYLES FROM LONDON & PARIS. Craighead & Co., Merchant Tailors, TANCRED STREET, (Next Orr & Co.) PERFECT FIT GUARANTEED. 982a-4450 BOOTS! BOOTS! BOOTS ? To- Meet the Times. (R HAWKINS, the Cheap Boot and J t Shoemaker, TINWALD (opposite the Post Office), lias determined to CLEAR OUT his large and well-selected Stock at sweeping prices. Only one trial will convince the public of the genuine cheapness of his Stock. Piis own make equally reduced. Come and see for your selves. JS?- Note the address— C. HAWKINS, PRACTICAL BOOT & SHOEMAKER Opposite the Post Office, Timyald. Note—No connection with any other shop. NEW INDUSTRY. ASPHALTING. JAMES BRADLEY is prepared to take orders for ASPHALTING at . very, moderate rates. ' • All orders to be left at the Works, Park srreet. All work kept in repair for twelve months. 695 c CHANGE OF PROPRIETARY. rsiHE UNDERSIGNED has much pleasure in announcing to the in habitants of Ashburton and district that he has TAKEN OYER the BUSINESS of Mr. J. S. SAVAGE, East street, Ash burton, and respectfully solicits a con tinuance of the patronage so libei'ally bestowed on his predecessor, trusting by keeping a choice assortment of all classes 6f FRUIT, CONFECTIONERY, Ac., to merit a fair share of the public support. T. BENNETTO, FRUITERER AND CONFECTIONER, East street, Ashburton. 814 c



Removal. CABINETMAKING & UPHOLSTERING ESTABLISHMENT, REMOVED TO B URN ET T ST R EET, Opposite the Mail Office. Cheapest House in Town, for New and Secondhand Furniture. JOHN MEECH, PRACTICAL C ABINETM AKER, UPHOLSTERER PAPEEH ANGER, &c. Drawers from 30s. and upwards, Dressing tables and Washstands 10s. and upwards. ALL KINDS OF REPAIRS. Furniture Renovated and Rcpolished, or Exchanged. GOOD PRICE GIVEN FOR SECONDHAND FURNITURE. 248 c



DON’T PASS THIS BY !! TOP before you give your next order for a Suit of Clothes. IF you want Style, Fit, and Quality, try the Undersigned. FAD the following, then call and in spect the Goods. I YARDS READY ) 500 T 0 ( (■ CUT. ) JUST ARRIVED —The best Stock of Winter Cloths to be got for money SUPERIOR in quality to anything ever yet shown in Ashburton. SAMPLES TO SELECT FROM Comprising the following : German Cloths, plain and fancy, the most fashionable Beaver Cloths, suitable for Winter Scotch Tweeds, assorted Mosgicl ~ ~ Ivaiapoi ~ ~ West of England Cloths Bedford Cords Irish Frieze, cite., &c., THIS IS THE MAN FOR fcfA MY MONEY. l\ °‘ > GO TO 1 fU \ b\°T D» Gj , Triangle, 1 Between Post Office and Baldwin’s Central Hotel. and inspect this Splendid Assort j meat before you order. OTTO: Small Profits and Quick Returns. Terms —Cash. (R TYLE and JgCONOMY Finish second to none. f £1 Is. Cash for a Pair j of Trousers ) £3 15si Cash for a Tweed ( ' Suit. 7SOg-390c



Business Notices. T.R



PAY A VISIT AND INSPECT Hodder’s First Grand Display OF NEW SPRING AND SUMMER DRAPERY AND MILLINERY.



HODDER’S



Alfred Harrison. THURSDAY, 16th SEPTEMBER. 12.30 Sharp. ALFRED HA PRISON Has been favored with instructions fi’OM F. Doherty, HJs(j. (who is leaving the district), to SELL BY PUBLIC AUCTION, On (lie premises, Petei* Street, O DR A IT! [ITS AND HACKS Q O (Really Good) 1 SPRING TRAP 1 7 DRAY YOUNG STEERS AND HEIFERS 1 1 7 onn BUSHELS qnn OUU FIRST-CLASS OATS OU-U HARNESS, Ac., Ac. Also, U ■' HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE & EFFECTS Without Reserve. 874 c ALFRED HARRISON. Auctioneer. Robert Wilkin and Co. ESSRS. ROBERT WILKIN & CO., (in conjunction with Messrs. Jameson and Roberts), are instructed to offer BY PUBLIC AUCTION, At Messrs. Jameson and Roberts’ Wool and Grain Stores, on SATURDAY, 18th SEPTEMBER, RURAL SECTION No. 29492, • a Containing 120 ACRES 120 Situate at South Ashburton, two-and-a half miles from the Winslow Railway Station. The land is of good quality, and will be sold WITHOUT RESERVE. ROBERT WILKIN & CO., Christchurch ; JAMESON & ROBERTS, 866 c . Ashburton.



Messrs. Robert' Wilkin & Co. (In conjunction with Messrs. Jameson and Roberts) have been in structed by the Trustees lii the estate of Thomas Clark, to oiler B V PUBLIC AUCTION At Messrs. Jameson aftct Roberts’ Wool and Grain Stores, on Saturday, 18th Sept. the . FREEHOLD PROPERTIES Belonging to the estate, as follows— Lot-i.—Town section No. 517, with large SUBSTANTIAL BOARDING HOUSE, containg 40 rooms. 1 The building is almost new, and fitted with every convenience, and can be had on most reasonable terms. Lot 2.-36 SECTIONS at Trevorton These are close to the township, are well situated in a rapidly improving neighborhood. UPSET PRICE ,£§ EACH. Easy terms of payment. Lot 3.—Half-acre section at Trevorton, facing the Beach road, with three roomed cottage thereon. Lot 4.—The trustees’ interest in sections Nos. 2 and 3, on the East Town Belt, with two cottages, four and five rooms each. ' Lot s.—Section at TreVbrton facing the Presbyterian Manse, being lot 39, known as the Belfast Bakery. The above are for absolute sale. Sale to commence at 1 o’clock. ROBERT WILKIN & Co., Christchurch. JAMESON & ROBERTS, 867 c T. Bullock. FOR SALE—CHEAP. FOUR SECTIONS in.one block—viz., 502, 503, 510, 511, Situated in Tin wald. Small deposit cash : balanee by instalments. 710 R SALE OR TO LET, WITH A , PURCHASING CLAUSE, 439 Acres, all fenced, and partly improved situated in Wakanui A compact Farm, all fenced, well-watered, and partly in English Grass. Improve ments consist of a comfortable Five-roomed Cottage, Stable, Stockyard, Ac., &c. All fenced, partly improved and well-watered. All fenced, and a poi'tion of it in English Grass. Near the above, will be*sold very cheap. About Three Miles from the Town of Ashburton. Near the above, and adjoining Mr. George Aston’s About Six Miles from Ash burton. TOWN PROPERTIES. That Valuable TOWN SECTION, 159, Tancred Street, will be Sold very cheap, and on easy terms. 539, (part of) £ of an acre, terms same as as above. 341, Kennode Street. I ( 5? » 37, (Lot) Mayo’s Block. 78, (Lot) with Dwelling-house of Seven Rooms, near the Parsonage, East Town Belt. 266 220 360 50 65 150 290 TO LET, Commodious BOARDING-lIOUSE in East Street. Shop and Office in East Street. That convenient SHOP, situated in the Triangle, Wakanui Road, now in the occupation of Mr. Lublow, tailor. SHOP or BOARDING-HOUSE, situated in Burnett Street, opposite the Mail Office, and lately jri the occupation of Mr. Dufrates. Apply, 571c-186g T. BULLOCK.