THE GARDEN.

(BY HOKTUS).

Calendar of Operations, October 27,

IHobtcs is willing to answor any quories. Cor respondents must give their full names and addresses, though not for publication.]

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Onions (J.S., Nowtonl.-Certainly; transplant. Onions which havo been sown in August will by now have made good strong plants. In thinning take the best of the plants and dibblo them out in rows one foot apart, and six inches apart in row. Those will mako as good bulbs as thoso loft in tho seed row. I-AOH (R. McD., Auckland).—Tho loss of your peach blossoms is caused by the attacks of one of the numerous species of aphidos. They ought to have boon attended to bofore tho flower buds burst. It is too late now, but tor next season I append a good reoipo: Dissolve eight pounds of soft soap in twelve gallons of warm wator; when cold, add one gallon of strong tobacco liquor. With the abovo mix ture syringe the trees freely two or thrco times immediately before tho blossom buds burst into flower; also giving ono good syringing after fruit is set. _ BitiGn—in (Parnell.) — Tho limo scattered over peach troes will not Injure tho fruit. In future years use the mi_tur» recommended in the notice above. In about three weeks from now your trees will put on fresh leaves in place of thoso de stroyed by the blight. PARS-!- 11t.0,, I-melt).—Your old plants will certainly go to seed this season. _ou must renew parsley every year. Gotasmallpacket of seed, sow in row, retain tho old plants till the young plants aro ready for use.

Kitchen Garden.

Continue planting late varieties of potatoes on low-lying moist soils. If the ground is liable to be Hooded with late spring rains, have good deep, open trenches dug, so as to drain off tho water after tho Hood is over. Continue sowing tho usual fortnightly small saladings. As tho old patches aro exhausted by cutting, have them romovod. Prepare the ground for fresh sowings. Continue sowing cucumber, pumpkins, marrows, water and musk melons out in tho open. In case of the above, which aro in frame, havo the sashes taken off so os to harden thorn ol!; or, if the sashes cannot bo taken off, have the pots removed to tlio outside. Dust the pots and plants occasionally with limo :--o as to check slugs. Tomatoes also treat iv the same manner. Still make Successional sowings of peas nnd kidney beams. Prick out all young seedlings as thoy become large enough. Make celery tranches as directed in a lute issuo. Water liberally all newly-planted crops. Thin out and earth up advancing crops. On moist .soils tho slugs will be very troublesoino ; limo frequently in tho evening, so as to keop them in check, Flowor Gordon. Most of the bedding plants ought to bo out now. Whenever any blanks occur through the industry of tho slug, or from Othor causes, (ill up at onco from tho re serves, watering as you plant out in the mined borders, Continuo sowing the more tender varieties of annuals; thin out and transplant tho advanced, hardy varieties. Tender varieties in tho frames or undor cover, bring out into tho opon, so as to have thoni hardened off for planting out in the beginning of next month. Dah lias—pot oil' tho cuttings which are struck. Continue dividing old roots. Pre pare places for planting thorn out ponnan ently for the season. Dig holes about 4 feet apart, put in each hole a barrow-load of well-rotted manure, cover up with a little good soil. Let it stand so till the young plants are ready for planting out. Attend to the staking of tall-growing plants as they arrive at the proper stage. Try and give a tidy, neat, appearance to tho whole of the flowor-beds, walks, lawn, and plea sure-ground ; frequent dustings of limo in the evenings, whenever slugs are do ing damage. Greenhouse. Pot oil'cuttings whenever they arc struck into small-sized pots. Seedlings prick oil' or pot as soon as they are largo enough to handle. Young plants which aro advancing in growth re-pot whenovor they require more pot room. Soft-wood plants which aro coming into ilowor give fre quent waterings with weak liquid manure. This will improve the quality of the flowers. Ferns should now be growing fast ; hoop thorn moderately moist, and in the coolest and shadiest part Of tho house, (live plonty of air ; syringe when shutting up tho houso at night. Hints. Almost all trees, shrubs, and plants re quire an animal manuring to maintain them in good health and vigour. Even forest trees require it, and get it by tho annual decay of the fallen loaves, which are recon voyed back to the trees as manure. Decom posed vegetable matter is tho best, mixed up with cow and stable litter. Every Oxortion. ought to be mado by those in possession of a garden to savo all litter and refuso, stacking theminaconvoniontplace, so as to rot and sweeten ; thon return them back into the ground, so as to act as manure to tho different plants grown in tho garden. No succossful cultivation of a garden can take place without on abundance of manure

Chxorike as Plant Nutriment. ■»A German chemist says that chlorine is an im portant nutriment for plants—that chloride of potassium (muriate of potash, tho com mon commercial fertiliser) excoeds tho nitrate in nutritive valuo so long as it is not used in oxecssive quantities. An excess of chlorine causes a decrease of chlorophyl and the oarlier ripening of tho plants, but a moderately sufficient quantity increases this substance If this is truo.it would ex plain tho causo of the deeper green colour produced in horbage by tho uso of salt (chlorido of sodium), and which is too often supposed to be the effect of an increased amount of moisture or coolness in tho soil, attracted by the salt. It is porhaps un necessary to remind a thoughtful reader that tho very small quantity oi moisture that is absorbed by 100 or 200 pounds of salt por acre could havo no appreciable effect in this way upon vegetation. The fact that chlorine is a constant constituent of plant substance is far more pertinent. A- Old Trfj..—Tho oldest tree in tho world, so far as any one knows, is tho botree of the sacred city of Amarapoora, in Burmah. . It was planted 288 8.C., and is therefore now 2,170 years old. Sir James Emerson Tennent gives reasons for believing that tho treo is really of this wonderful age, and refors to historic documents in which 'it is mentioned at different dates, as 182 A.D., 223 a.d., and so on to tho present day. " To it," says Sir Jainos, " kings havo even dedicated their dominions, in testimony of their belief that it is a branch of the identical fig tree under which Buddah re clined at Urumelya when he underwent his apotheosis." Its leaves are carried away as streamers by pilgrims, but it is too sacred to touch with a knife, and therefore they are only gathered when they fall. The king oak in Windsor forest is 1,000 years old. When a forest tree is planted the planter cannot imagine or begin to estimate the thousands or the generations that may sit beneath its shade, therefore he who plants the tree does so for the weal of many.

Fruit-Growing.

(Continued.)

Summer Pkuning on PiKoniNG.—What ever course has been adopted in regard to rest-pruning, summer pruning or pinch ing should be resorted to. •By re moving all worthless shoots, and by a judicious pinching back, shoots that are making too much growth may be formed into spurs tho first year, keeping the tree also in a more symmetrical habit. We may also force it to produce a stronger growth where needed; also saving the necessity of cutting out superabundant wood the fol lowing winter. Most trees are inclined to make their growth from the extremity of their branches, and would produce most of the fruit buds there also if allowed, and, if entirely left to themsolves, would soon become unsightly objects, with long naked branches. Now all this can be obviated by a judicious course of summer pinching ; the tree can be kept in a better shapo. Not ono unnecessary branch need be grown. In fact, the full forces of the tree can be utilised just in the manner wanted. Tho fruit buds will develop near the base of the branches, instead of at the extremity of long branches. This is the best of all methods of pruning known to the science of gardening. The object in removing part of those shoots is not to make a fruit tree more bushy, but to stop the current of tho sap, and so force it into the weaker branches, which seldom need stopping at all. When it is necessary to stop all tho shoots on a plant, tho weaker should bo stopped first, as this will cause them to grow stronger. The reason why such an effect is produced is explained in tho following proceedings :— Take a branch, during December, with two young shoots—tho ono very weak and the other very strong ; stop the weak ono, and allow it to push two or three eyes into leaf; then stop the strong one. Before the latter can break again, the shoots on tho weak ono are grown and able to draw on the sap more largely than thoso buds which are merely breaking on tho'stronger shoots. Then suppose wc leave only two shoots to come from tho weaker parent and four from the stronger, tho balance of strength is restored in a mouth, and you have six shoots of equal, or nearly equal strength. But if, instead, you stop tho strongest lirst, and allow it to break into three or four fresh ones before you stop tho weak shoots, the offoct will be very different. Tho threo or four fresh shoots on tho stronger, having the start of whatever the weaker shoots may givo out, will keep ahead till tho cud of the season, if they do not altogother Starve out tho weaker and later shoots. When lateral shoots are wanted to make fruit spurs, they should be pinched ; that is, tho top bud nioroly nippod off. If wo could stop the growth of a strong shoot until such time as the weak shoot had at tained a similar strength, and thon allow both to grow on equal terms, all would go on well ; but wo cannot, in the growing soason, stop growth for one moment. As soon as wo stop a shoot, if only by breaking a bud, tho bud noxt below will immediately yield to tho force of tho rising fluid or sap ; indeed, many of the summer practices aro founded on a knowledge of this fact. Tho right season for stopping is in Decembor, and. throughout tho growing season. Take off one-third of a weak shoot; only ono-fourth if of avorago strength ; and merely tho point if it bo strong. Tho upper bud on each usually breaks again, but this is of no consequence If any of tho brost buds break, pinch them back. This stopping and pinching promotes tho production of blossom buds and fruit - boaring spurs ; the operation is per formed by the finger and thumb. Pursue this finger and"thumb pruniny as long as there is growth in tho trees, and if it has been properly performed there will need to be very little rest pruning per formed—only aa occasional shortening back of a spur, and an occasional shoot to come out altogether which was overlooked during tho time tho foliage was on tho tree. While pinching back, have a look to see if any of the fruit trees are likely to suffer with drought in tho approaching dry weather. If such is the caso, they will re quire to be mulched. Any long stable litter or long grass, or similar rubbish, will answer this purpose.

How to Become a Centenarian.

When a man and a doctor attains the age of a hundred and soven years in good health, and dies in the full possession of all his faculties, the announcement that the secret which onablod him to prolong his existence so far beyond tho ordinary span is to bo divulgod after his funeral ought to bo heard with interest by thoso who find tho world wo live in a pleasant place. A French medical man, who has just died at the venerable age stated above, pledged his word to rovoal the secret of his longevity when no more, for tho benofit of others. It was stipulated, however, that tho precious onvolopo containing tho recipo for long life was not to be openod until ho had been buried. The doctor's pre scription, now mado known, is simple enough and easy to follow, but whether it is as valuable as ho pretends is extremely doubtful. Ho tolls his follow-mon that if they wish to live for a century or more, thoy have but to pay attention to tho posi tion of their beds. " Let tho head of the bed be placed to tho north, tho foot to the south, and the electric current, which is stronger during tho night in tho direction of tho north, will work wonders on their constitutions, insure them more healthful rest, strengthen their nervous system, and prolong their days." It's, he adds, to scrupulous attention to the position of bis bed that ho ascribes his longovity, the enjoyment of perfect health, and the absence of any infirmity. If the doceased gontloman was really a beliovor in his own proscription, ho might as well have let the world bonefit by it during his life time.

What a Nose Is For.

A few days sincoa number of ladies visited an infant school, and one of them thought she would question the "tots " and see how much „my know about the senses. " What wero the eyes for ?" " For seeing." " Yes. And what would be the result if wo had no eyes 1" She asked the little ones to shut their eyes tight. Yes, they understood. " And then the ears—what wero they for ?" "Hearing." "Yes. And now stop your ears as tightly as you can. Ah, what a sad thing it would bo to havo no_ ears I We should never hear the birds sing any more and never more hear mamma, voico!" And then came tho noso " what was that for?" Somohow, tho little ones seemed puzzled at this point. About the eyes and ears there had been no question—but the nose? They looked up into the lady's faco curiously, evidently with an answer ready, but not quite sure of being right. Finally the questioner saw an intelligent smile upon one chubby little face —one of the four-year olds—and sho said to the child: "Ah, Dot, you can tell me what the nose is for, can't you ? Come now speak up. Don't be afraid. What is it?" A few twists and puckers, and then, with a wondrous sparkle of the great brown eyes : " Please, it is for mamma to take hold of to pull."

FOR THE LADIES.

Tub Home Circle.—Walking round the room with the baby at night.

When the teacher asked what was the feminine of "tailor," a small boy on a front seat promptly exclaimed, " Dressmaker !"

"What is love?" asks everybody; and somebody replies, " It is a feeling that you don't want another fellow fooling around her."

"Don't you think Miss Brown is a very sweet girl?" asked Henry. "Oh, yes,. very sweet!" replied Jane. "That is to say, she is well preserved."

A now baronet's wife is alleged to have said to some of hor intimate friends, "Though I am 'my lady' now, it will make no difference in my manners."

No fashion chat: " Poor creature !" ex claimed Mrs "Groograin, looking at the pictures of nude savage women, "no cloth ing of any kind ! I wonder what the poor things have to talk about ?"

A Fact for Wives—Morse, who invented the telegraph, and Bell, the inventor of the telephone, both had deaf-mute wives. Little comment is necessary ; but just see what a man can do when everything is quiet.

All kinds of sleeves are admissible for the seaside style of ladies' dresses this year. But the coat-sleove round the waist remains tho favourite.

Conjugal Amenities.—He : " My darling, I really beliove my rheumatism has wholly disappeared." She: "Oh, I am sorry! Now wo shall novor know when the weather is going to change."

"No," said he, as they congratulated him on his engagement, " I'm not so particularly charmed with tho girl; but I expect to bo very happy. Her mother is about the best tempered woman I know."

When a Japanese girl is of a marriag <? able ago sho combs her hair forward and makes it up in shape of a fan or butterfly and decorates it with silver cord and-balls of varied colours. If such a custom were in vogue in this country we should see females ranging in age from fourteen to fifty years going about with their hair done up in that stylo.

A young lady, evidently impressed with the idoa that she knows all about it, says : "If a fellow is desperately in love with a girl, and is persistent in his efforts to win hor, he is sure to gain his suit. Widowers understand this point, and know exactly how to mako lovo and propose, and you will observe they are always successful."

Two young Howick ladies were standing by tho side of a wide ditch in Nelson-street the other day, which they didn't know how to cross. They appealed to a boy who was coming along the road for help, whereupon ho pointed behind thorn with a startled air and yelled "There's a mouse !" The young ladies crossed the ditch at a single bound.

A near-sighted man was riding in a tram car the other day, when a lady opposite bowed to him. He returned the bow, raised his hat, and smiled sweetly, and was just wondering who Bhe was when she came over nnd whispered in his ear, "Oh ! I'll fix you for this, old man." Then he knew it was his wife.

Conversation overheard in a drawing room :—" What ! are you going to be married on Saturday ?" inquired Cicoly of hor lady friend. *' Why, to be sure. It is my birthday, you know." " But don't you know that your husband will not live the year ouff if you marry him on Saturday?" " H-s-h. Ho has never heard of it. I should bo such an interesting widow, you know."

At a recent ball, says a London paper, wo noticed ono lady particularly, who wore a very pretty gown of cafe-au-lait surah, mixed with silk gauzo of the same shade, and extensively trimmed with coffee-coloured Spanish lace. She was determined to be original in tho flowers she wore, and selected yellow water irises and yellow water lilies, with red river grasses, and river reeds and leaves. The lady and one of her maids spent the'wholo morning, sho told us, in mounting the lilies, irises, leaves, and grasses, Cer tainly theirs was not labour lost. We wonder why milliners do not imitate wild flowers more than they do. Another girl at this ball wore her dress trimmed with meadowsweet, and very pretty it looked, and very delicious it smelt, as she glidod by in the mazes of tho waltz.

Thenewostpnrasolshave sticks of^okrared or stained ivory of golden-brown shades, with a nob-handle of hammered silver, and are handsomo when mounted in black or othor dark satin edged with lace or with thick fringe. Tho star parasol is a novel fancy, useful as a sunshade in an open car riage. It is quite small, and forms five points like a star instead of having a straight edge. Black or white Spanish lace covers aro mado up over satin, and are mounted on teasel-wood sticks.

At a ftite and garden party a few weeks ago, one lady was dressed in black and yellow ; and vory lovely she looked in her waspish combination of colours. Her skirt was made with long pleats, each pleat lined with yellow, the yellow showing only as she moved. Ovor the skirt was a tunic of black and yellow striped nun's veiling. The bodicoof hor dross was also striped black and yellow. Her hat was black with a striped crown. Another very pretty dress was of dark cardinal and naval blue striped flannel. The skirt was draped in points, and from • each point was hung a little group of cardinal and naval blue chenillo balls. Tho bodice was made coat shape and fastened with bone buttons, also striped naval bluo and cardinal. The hat was turban shape, nnd was mado of tho same material as the dress. And charming she looked.

Good wives should resemble throo things, which three things they should not re semblo— Good Wivesfp snails should bo akin. Always their houses keep within; But not to carry (fashion s hacks) All they aro worth upon their backs. Good wives, like city clocks, should bo Kxact, with regularity; But not, Hko city clocks so loud, Be heard by all the vulgar crowd. Good wives, liko echo, should bo true. And speak but When they're spokou to, Yet not, liko echo, so absurd, » To have for over the last word 1 The Thirty Beauties. — Brantome, on female beauty, gives tho Spanish version of tho thirty "ifs.' If— now, ladios, lend an ear—

If Three things aro white—skin, teeth, and hands; Three things black—eyes, eyebrows, and eyelashes; Three things red—lips, cheeks, and nails; Three things long —waist, hair, and hands; Three things short—teeth, ears, and feet; Three things wide—breast, front, and brow; Three things narrow—mouth, waist, and ankle; Three things large—arm, hip, and calf; Three things fine—lips, nails, and fingers ; Three things small—nose, head, and bosom; Then there are thirty beauties in all.

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

[By Euterpe.]

The Choral Society will perform Haydn's "Creation" on Tuesday evening next, the soloists being Miss Bleazard (soprano), Mr E. Harker (tenor), and Mr Gordon Gooch (bass).

Herv£ is composing a new opera. '' Christmas Eve" is the name of a success ful comic American opera.

Lord Shaftesbury's latest "fad" is to Christianize actors and actresses.

"Romeo and Juliet " was recently done in New York with music by Beilioz.

Cagnoni, the composer, is writing an opera on the story of " King Lear."

"L'Alcade de Zalamia," a new opera, will be produced at Antwerp during the winter season.

It is stated that Mr Sheridan, with the " Fun on the Bristol" Company, will under take a trip to Australia.

The musical Press in London are attempt ing a crusade against the high prices paid to musical artists.

Flutow's posthumous opera "Der Graf yon St. Megrim," will be produced in December at Cologne..

Williamson, Garner _ Co., of Melbourne, are trying to engage Madame Helena Modjeska, the tragedienne. ;

A proposal to burlesque "Hamlet" and " The Tempest" has caused quite a burst of indignation in London.

According to an American writer.the new form of solidified whisky, which is done up in lozenges, will fill a want long felt by singers.

Three English composers —Mr A. S. McKenzie, Mr Loring Thomas, and Dr Vil liers Stamford—are writing operas for Mr Carl Rosa.

Mrs Stirling, one of the oldest represent ative actresses on the EngLsh stage, has been appointed Professor of Elocution to the Royal College of Music.

In October (present year) Sterndale Bennett's "May Queen" and Benedict's " Graziella " were to be placed on the stage at the Crystal Palace, London.

A memorial is to be erected to C. M. Yon Weber in his native town, Eutin. It will be unveiled on the 18th of December, 1886, the 100 th anniversary of his birth.

The " fattest woman in the world" was found dead her bed recently, having turned over on her face and suffocated her self. It is supposed that she was powerless to turn back again. She weighed 35st. 71b.

Another Italian opera season is in store for Melbourne. This time the impresario is Signor Graziosi. He will open the Victoria Hall on the 13th inst., with a per formance of of Flotow's "L'Ombra." ("The Shadow.") ((,

The Triennial Musical Festival at Leeds, England, was to be held early during the present month, Mme. Alvina Valleria taking the principal soprano solos. Mme. Albani it was deemed not advisable to retain, as her prices for her services were so exorbitant..

The people ol Nova Scotia may be termed "uncoguid." When the mail left an (in junction was to be issued against the Gene ral commanding the British forces in Halifax, in that colony, preventing the military bands from playing in the streets on Sundays.

At the Melbourne Opera House Signor Verdi continues to support the Montague- Turner Company, and business '3 tolerably good. "Maritana" crew for some time, followed by "Mignon," and the latest pro duction was Flotow's " Martha," with Miss Montague in the title role, and Miss Prances Saville (Prances Simonsen) as Nancy.

"Thou, Nature, art my Goddess," a quotation from King Lear, act 1, scene 2, formed the text of the first of a series of sermons on words taken from Shakspeare's plays by Dr. George Macdonald, LL.D., which was commenced recently at 42, Bedford-square, London. Herein is a good suggestion for the local divines.

Amateur opera is becoming very popular iii New Zealand. The Kaiapoi " 1 _tience_" Company aro rehearsing busily, and in Dunedin a second troupe are busy with '' Trial by Jury " under the tuition of Signor Morley and Mr G. R. West, while the original " Patience " troupe adhere to their design of producing "The Pirates" at Christmas.

The ex-Premier of New South Wales soems to be posing as a great virtuoso in 'Frisco. In a musical exchange I find it stated that, "at the special request of Sir Henry Parkes, K.C.M.G., of New South Wales, Signorina Gilbert, in the Grand Opera House, sang (between the acts of the play) selections from 'La Sonnambula' and 'Dinorah.'" He soems to be cultivating an acquaintance with the stage—or its habitui.es mayhap.

The Duchess of Connaught has made her debut as a public vocalist m a concert given at Ascot in aid of a charity. The public made quite a rush for the guinea stalls on the occasion, and the Duchess was bo much overcome by stage fright that her voice and style could not be fairly judged. The Princess Christian, who is an 'excellent pianist, played some solos, and Lord William Compton and other amateurs also assisted.

Mr Moncure D. Conway, piloted by the indefatigable Smythe, is delivering in Mel bourne a series of " Lectures for the Times " chiefly on the relations between science and religion. Their titles are:—"The Pre- Darwinito and Post-Dam _nite Worlds ;" "Emerson und his Views of Nature;" "Carlylo and Hero-worship;" "The Law of Development and Arrest in Religion;" "Mother Earth;" "Woman and Evolu tion;" "The Trinity of Thought, Word, and Deed:" "The New Prometheus, or the Martyrdom of Thought."

The tour round the world about to be undertaken by Miss Genevieve Ward will commence about the middle of December. If she can get a company to support her, she will play in India, Australia, Now Zea land, the Sandwich Islands, Japan, &c.; and if not, she will give readings and two character plays with Mr W. H. Vernon, who accompanies her. The repertflire includes " Mammon," " Rachel," " The Queen's Favourite," "Macbeth," "Henry VHt," "Medea," "Guy Mannering, 5' "Nance Oldfield," and perhaps "Jano Shore."

Tho " New York Musical Critic " damns Mr Martin Simonsen and his accomplished daughter with faint praise. It says of their 'Frisco performances: "A Mr Martin Simonsen, a pioneer fiddler, together with his daughter, Leonora (both lately from Australia)^ gave concerts, assisted by local musicians. They were greeted by a small audience of personal mends, who_ came to help cheer the old musician as he worked his bow in the 'old, old way.' His daughter will make a passable singer after her voice has been properly trained,' These concerts were given at a bad time, and it was evident that old Simonsen needed the services of a local manager." - •

Coolness In Crises.

In an old number of the "Weekly Chronicle " it is stated that "at the Grand Theatre at- Vienna, the Emperor, attended by a very brilliant staff, was present at the perfor mance of Schiller's' Robbers.' The curtain had just risen upon the third act, when ' there was a cry of Tire!' from behind the scenes, confirmed by an ominous smell of smoke. Emile Devrient, the well-known actor, took in the situation at a glance signalled for the curtain to be lowered' stepped m front, and, in a ringing voice! spoke'as follows :-'The Emperor has been robbed of an aigrette of diamonds. No< honest person will object to being searched. You will pass outone by one at each entrance, and be searched by the police stationed at the - several doors. Any person attempting to go out of order will be arrested.' So cool and composed was the actor, that the crowd were taken in by his story. The house was crammed from floor to ceiling. Each person slackened his pace, and on reaching the door was told to hurry on at once. Just as the last row was passing out, the curtain burst into flames, and in half an hour the building was a ruin; but, thanks to Devrient's wonderful coolness, not a life was lost. On the Debateable land, a few miles east of Carlisle, about the beginning, of this century, a smuggler of whisky,, being caught by an exciseman, at-' tempted to escape. The exciseman, "getting tho better" of the smuggler, was alarmed on hearing him call out, "Strike 'em o' the heed, John, wi' ! th' gun." Of course, there was no such person behind the exciseman, who, upon turning round, was immediately knocked senseless, and lay all night in that state, the smuggler getting clear away. In the ' Lockerbie railway accident, a few months ago, there was exhibited, perhaps, the most remarkable example of coolness and pre- ' sence of mind ever known. A railwayi servant, being on the spot, was called for — from all quarters to assist the dying. The sight all around him was of the most sick ening kind—legs, arms, brains, &c, being observed in every quarter. He, how ever, resisted this most trying moment ' to render help, and, remembering that the midnight mail was about duet* he ran along the line with a lamp for about a mile, when, to his amaze-* ment, he saw the mail charging down the' line at about fifty miles an hour. The driver, thank God, saw the lamp, and pulled up. Had he not seen it, the collision and loss of life would have been appalling. for it was in the middle of the night. An Englishman, travelling through a dense .forest in America, suddenly came across a ' band of Indians, but, by a most wonderful ruse, escaped. Turning round on horse back, he shouted in the direction whence he had come, "Here they are; come on!" The Indians, however, after a pause, found that there was no one with the white man, who had completely baffled them, and managed to get off ua scathed. An Englishman, according to the: "Family Herald," had a narrow escape from a frightful death in Paris. Contempt! ting the city from the top of Vendome Column, he did not notice a man, seemingly; peaceful enough, standing close behind hurj. Suddenly the fellow started forwarif clasped our countryman round the waist; and exclaimed, "I wager I throw yor down, as sure as one and one make two!"- The Englishman, looking at him, and find-:' ing out that he had to deal with a madman, with admirable presence of mind replied, "If you come below with me, I wager I can throw you up here, as sure as one and one make two I" Tempted by the difficulty •■ of the proposition, the mail let go his hold; and accompanied our countryman down-a stairs, where he was immediately secured and handed over to tho propor authorities. 7;

Dexterous Thieves.

A Chinaman has been known to seize a ,4 man's finger and cut it clean off in the midst of a crowd, to obtain possession of a ring, a and escape detection. This immunity is due, perhaps, to the great resemblance 1 which the faces of a Chinese mob bear to :' one another in European eyes, rendering :' individuals absolutely indistinguishable at ; first; as well as to an ingenious artifice a,: for disguising a broad-bladed knife in r the semblance of a closed fan, such as all Chinese carry. Hindus will swim or? T float cautiously along a river at d_k ; with an old basket or empty gourd over : their head, whirling and twirling lazily with' j every eddy, and braving the crocodileß,-ty gain an entree to the bungalow they decide 'a * to plunder under the very nose of its pro^ prietor. The writer once saw a coolie.T immigrant in Guiana, a field hand on one of the sugar plantations, towing a log'], J of wood along one of the muddy canals or > -' trenches which intersect the cane pieces,',; 1 He passed the manager on the path; : salaamed composedly, and was plodding, a quietly on towards the village, when tie. rope hitched in a stake in the bank," causing the log to tilt up, and disclosing - 4 the fact that it was ballasted with some-; thing underneath. "Something" provei a to bo a coffee-pot and various other silver,. J utensils, which had been purloined from tk; ■}. breakfast table laid in the verandah of tbe - house to await our return. In a few hou__'! the whole would doubtless have been con-, verted into bangles, anklets, and earrings!'l"' for the poor Indian's untutored mind is jwt ■ as keenly alive to the advantages which at tend the development of specie unlawfully* ! acquired, as that of Mr Fagin or any; , other metropolitan ' fence.' —'' Chambea't j: _ Journal." -

A TVTK OF BEAUTY, Hero Hani? my bangs o'er eyes that dream, • And nose and rose- : >■ ■ bud lips (or cream, And here's my -" j chin with dim ples in. » ! This is my , nook with- ,i ' '_._'*■-' "j out a speck which doth thoso snowy shoulders j deck ; and hero is — see, oh, double T-O-N, which girls . i;- :| all wear, like me; and here's a ay | heart from Cupid's dart safe shielded by this corset's art. ,i .'; This is my waist too tightly laced, on which . . a.,. a bustle big is placed. This is my dress.. Its cost, I guess, did mv poor papa much <_s- " tress, bcoauso he sighed when mamma tried it on, ''• and scolded so I cried, but mamma said I soon would • , ,'J.a wed and buy pa's clothes for him instead. It's trimmed with lace just in this place, 'noath which two i ; ankles show, witli grace, in silken hose, to catch the beaux, who think they're lovely,. I suppose, Theso are ', a ffljr f—t in slippers neat, and now if we . should chance to moot well flirt a little on the street. How sweet, ..

"Why, how odd you look with your hair,,-;,; parted in the middle!" exclaimed Mr*:. Brown. "I used to part mine on the '"'A side," said Mrs Jones. Then the conversa- - tion became general. Each lady had to .; tell how she parted her hair—all but little Edith's mother, • She said nothing. Sud- 0 denly little Edith's voice was heard. She - evidently did not liko to have her moth* "-? ignored. She said: "My mother parts he? hair on the table!"

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, OCTOBER 27, 1883

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