THE GARDEN.

(By HORTTO).

Calendar of Operations, September 22.

(Hortus is willing to answer any queries. Cor respondents must (rivo their full name and address, though not for publication.]

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Tulips (T.G.)-Do not lilt your hulbs till the foliage lias entirely decayed. During the poriod of tho folia^o riponlng oir it is con veying nutriment lo tho bulbs. Tho same remarks apply to all bulbus-rooted plants. Mklons, CucUMiiuns <R. Wright, l'onsonbr.)— Bog-in to harden the plants off. giving nioro light nnd air every day until they will stand exposure night ami clay. Have them ready for plant ing out the beginning o£ next month. Bedding Plants (R.T.)—Do not mix themirro -4,-ularly in the bod. If your bed is a circle commenc.j by planting a bull in the centre, with the lare;e.st K n>wiiiß variety, then make circles round thi« with the others, finishing tho las', circle next the ;,-ras.;, eilßintj with tlio S'inalluol Krowill" Vii'-h'iv ■11-ruuriii'r tln> colours so thr.t!^- xvm'ii!^,, an harmonious eiteot; when tli::y <-o milmmn . to prow, p<v,' down and pinch, keeping each circle in its allotted space.

Kitchen Garden.

Continue sowing all the different seeds for the main crop of vegetables for midsummer use; keep thinning and earthing up those that arc advancing. Continue planting out the different crops which require trans planting. Prepare a bed for pricking out the early celery plants. Take and lay down six inches of well-rotted stable manure, put three inches of good soil on top, then prick out in lines about six inches apart. Water and protect from the sun till they get estab lished. They will soon make nico plants for removing into the trenches. Give fre-

quent dustings of lime to keep the sluga away. Cucumber, melon, and tomato plants commence to harden ofif for planting out. Pot off those still requiring it. Sow a little Cape gooseberry seed in a pan under glass. Still continue planting the inter mediate potato ; earth up advancing: crops of the earlier planted varieties. Look after seeds coming through the ground : see that the slugs do not get the lion.* share. Seeds men often get blamed for bad seed when it is the want of attention which loses the crop. Flower Garden. Continue sowing hardy annuals. Thin out advancing patches, leaving only a few plant? in each patch. Those "few will give more (lowers and do better than a great number of sickly plants closely grown together. Commence putting out the different bedding plants, arranging them ac cordingly to height, space of ground they will occupy, and colours of flower and foliage, keeping the smallest towards the front and the largest growing ones to the back of the bonier : if bed, the largest to the centre. All carnations, pinks, and picotecs ought to bo planted out now. It will soon be too Jate. They are pushing on for growth now. Azaleas and camellia?, at tend" to last month's directions. Frequently hoe and stir tiie surface soil, so as to keep treeds down. Lawn —Frequently mow, keep the grass short, and apply the roller frequently whenever the ground is wet, so that it may take effect. Grconhouso. If last week's directions about cleaning the house liave boen attended to, repotting will be the order. All plants which require a change of put should receive it at once. Most plants Mill be beginning to grow now, and it is better to start their growth with new soil. All tuberous-rooted plants, such as gloxinias and tuberous-rooted begonias, shake out of their pots and repot into smaller-sized pots. Aehimenes —take seed pans, well drain, place tin; rough sittings over the drainage, till up the rest of the pot to within an inch of the rim with a good compost of sand, leaf-mould, and a little loam ; take the little tuber and place in this, cover up with half an inch of soil, and set the pans in a cool, shady part of the house; don't water much at first. Strike another batch of ceo'.ius cuttings. Apply liquid manure freely to liliums and amaryllis. Double gcriums and pelar goniums in pots keep near the glass, and give sufficient water and air.

Seasonable Hints. Parsley. —Of the different varieties in cultivation the preference is usually given to the curled leafed, and of these the Extra Moss Curled in one of the best. The cucumber is of tropical origin and a tender plant, and succeeds best in a warm, moist, rich, loamy ground. Plant in hills about Sve feet each way. AVhen planted too early, before the earth is warm, the .seeds nro liable to decay in the ground. The hills should be slightly raised, and from eight to ten seeds planted in each hill. When all danger from slugs is over, thin out, leaving live or six plants in each hill. There are seven noted varieties.

Pumpkin marrows are also of tropical origin. They are good feeders, likiny a rich soil. Manure is best applied in the hill. In planting, place about ten seeds in each hill, and when danger from the slugs is over pull up ail but three or four. A mel low, warm soil is the best. For bush sorts, make hills three or four feet apart, and for running kinds twice that distance. All winter keeping varieties should be ripened thoroughly, or they are watery, lacking sweetness and richness, al.so lacking keep ing properties.

Kale i.-: a vegetable that is cultivated for its blanched .shoots, which are cooked like asparagus. The seeds may be sown at the same time and in the same manner as for Cabbages. Green Curled Scotch is con sidered the best, and it is very hardy.

Kohl Kubi resembles both cabbage and turnip ; the part used is the bulb, or swell ing of the stem, which, when cooked while yjung, is tender and delicate. Sow about, t'.ie middle of spring, in drills fourteen inches apart, and thin to ten inches. Easily transplanted. Soil required the same as for cabbage. Celery seed should be sown early in the spring, and when five or six inches high transplant. Some growers only trench for the manure, leaving the plants even with the top of the ground ; others trench deep enough to leave the plants five or six inches below '.he. surface. Tho trenches should have at least six inches of line well-rotted manure, with a coveiing of three or four inches of good soil. Set the plants five or six inches apart in the trenches : keex> them well cultivated, and earth up from time to time, but only when the plants are dry, and bC cartful not to cover the centre shoots.

Brussels sprouts are cultivated for ,the small head?, or sprouts, that grow upon the »talk. Cooked, cultivated, and sown the sumo as cabbage. Aspahaous.—There are no distinct sorts of asparagus to be found in our markets, although nanics of different varieties appear in catalogues. "Colossal and "Giant" asparagus are produced by giant cultivation only. In almost every bod of asparagus of any extent, sprouts with white, purple, and green tips may be found, showing that the so-called different varieties are reproduced iv every lot of seedling plants, but seldom or never separated and cultivated as distinct ports.

j Protecting Socds From Birds. Seeds of every size and description are subject to the attacks of birds after being sown, and if nothing be done, sometimes they will not leave a single seed in the ground. The best remedy is to dress all seeds with red lead. The dressing, to be effectual, must bo done thoroughly. The best method is to place in a large saucer as much seed as it is the intention to sow, on which sprinkle a few drops of water, for if they be made too wet the seeds and the lead will stick together in a mass ; then take a teaspoonful of dry powdered red lead, and stir the whole thoroughly until all the seed is well coated with lead. Let it stand for a couple of hours to dry before sowing. This is necessary, or the lead will wash oft' with the rain ; whilst, if laid on with the right amount of moisture and^well dried, it will adhere to tke outer covering of the seed even when it appears above ground. With a little practice in the preparation of the various seeds that thus fall a prey to birds, the amateur will soon be able to judge when lie has hit upon the right degree of moisture required before applying the lead, and upon which dopendstheperfect preparation. Haif a-pound of red lead will last a season, and the trouble is nothing compared with tho blank crops, l'aratlin oil is also recom mended. An experiment lately made for tho purpose of testing its power to keep birds from eating the seeds when sown, proved so far successful that of a handful of radish seed soaked in the oil for iifteen minutes, and then sown, not a, seed ap peared to have been taken, for all came up freely, and no protection was afforded, although birds were very abundant. Petroleum or benzoline would, of course, answer tho same purpose. (Woale's " Garden Receipts.'1) Hybridisation. (Continued.) With regard to strawberries, we have got two or three varieties which are good croppers, but as far as flavour is concerned they are only so as compared with the luscious varieties which succeed in Britain. The Trolleps Victoria, better known as the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Margaret are the best cropper varieties. Of these the Trolleps Victoria produces thebest- flavoured fruit ; but if this were crossed with the King's seedling. Black Prince, Edith, &c. (shy croppers here but very richly flavoured), you might produce a variety combining the cropping capabilities of the one with the added flavour of the other. Impregnate and protect as already described. When the fruit 13 rips, save tho seed, and in the early spring sow in good, rich compost in seed-pans, and place in a cool frame. When the seedlings are large enough to prick out, prick them into good, rich soil in an open border. Early next autumn plant out in open beds the usual distance foi st raw berries, and they ought to fruit the season. Fruit two seasons before discarding. The first season of a seedling producing fruit, that fruit will not come to such per fection as it will do in the second season. Such fruit may be larger, but not so full or rich-flavoured a3 the second season, the plant not being able to thoroughly maturo all its juices in the first season. Therefore some peculiarities—whether favourable or not—are sure to come forth the second season. In this fruit, about the third season of the plant's growth it ought to be thoroughly tested. In growing these for fruiting, they ought to be grown on good, rich soil, highly manured, and trenched two spits deep.

I will now try and say a littlo about the grape-vine for wine-growing purposes in the Northern portion of the Province of Auckland. It is a well-known fact that in all wine-producing countries some varieties of the vine succeed better than others in the different countries. This is due to sols, aspect, and atmospheric differences, which exist, in some degree, oven in short-intervals of space. Now, our climate is a peculiar one, and vines do not succeed in all localities or soils as we would like to see. I have long ago set down the want of success to the humidity of the climate, which causes, during the period of the fruit's swelling, a fungoied, or what is termed mildew, to attack both foliage and fruit, then good-by to all prospoit of a good crop. (I intend' to deal with this subject at some future time.) The wholo vine seems paralysed after tlii.s attack. Now, to be successful, experiments ought to be tried so as to find out which varieties aro most proof against this influence. When such aro found out, then commence hybridis ing from these, and in time varieties may be produced which may in a great measure bo free from the above in lluencc. Even in wine-producing coun tries they are continually trying to raise and import new varieties so as to experi ment upon them. For instance, the late appointment of a commission by the French Government to Japan with the view of test ing whether the Japanese varieties of grape vine would suit the French climate. Tim New Zealand Government ought to move in the same direction, or, what would be better, let them import a number of varieties from .Japan and test them. Seed ling vines should be treated in a somewhat similar manner as the fruit stock. Thes*' will also need to be tested for a year or two before a certain success can be pronounced. Time and patience are required. Grafting the seedlings to older stock will hasten the production of the perfect fruit. (To he continued.)

May a Policeman Drink When on Duty?

A couple of policy court incidents which occurred latterly in New York, suggest the question, "When Dogberries disagree, how is justice, even of the cheapest quality, io be had?" A number of liquor-sellers were brought before Mr .Justice Murray charged with selling beer ou Sundays. A constable furnished evidence that, in obedience to his .superior's orders, he had procured beer in their saloons on the Sab bath. Mr Justice Murray, however, laid down the law that, in virtue of the police rides, a constable is forbidden to drink whilst on duty ; consequently, tho officer who had given evidence had been guilty of a misdemeanour. The case was therefore dismissed, although, had the constable not taken a drink when on duty, he would have disobeyed orders, and been equally guilty of a misdemeanour. In another court, on the following day, another hatch of publicans were had up on a similar charge, evidence being brought forward by constables to prove the offence. In this instance the police officers had not violated the regula tions by drinking whilst on duty. Tho presiding magistrate thereupon promptly laid down another variety of the law respecting the matter. Unless beer offered for sale had actually been tasted by tho officer giving evidence, the complaint could not be taken into consideration. The case was consequently dismissed. The conclusion naturally reached is that " what is deemed necessary proof in one Court is declared evidence of misdemeanour in an other," this being a fresh instance of tho peculiar and extraordinary kind of law administered in American police courts.

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

[By Euterpe.]

The Christohurch Musical Society's second concert of the season was given last week, when Mendelssohn's "St. I'aul" was performed The report that Mr Dion Boucicault will visit Australia is denied. M. Delaunay, the French actor, has been nominated to the Legion of Honour. Signor Do Vivo is said to be organising an operatic company for Australia. Medallions of Mr Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry are in circulation in London. I Offenbach's opera, "Barbo Bleu," has been most successfully revived at the Arenuo Theatre, London. : A violoncello by Franceses Ruggerius, formerly the property of George 1\ ~ was recently sold in London for £330. Charles Overton, who was here with the : Lingards, stars this season in America in i "A Hoop of Gold." j Mr A. T. Dunning has concluded arrange ments with Mr Charles Turner for a season ;of English opera at the Opera House, Mol ; bourne. I Grace Greenwood (Mrs Lippincott) who is I now in London, is engaged on a biography ;of Queen Victoria for the use of American children.

Herr I'ollini has offered Wagner's widow the sum of 1,000,000 marks for tho exclusive rights of "Parsifal," which, however, she has declined.

H. Morris, the Kew Zealand Blondin, has been engaged by Mr J. Joubert to pro oeed to Calcutta for the purpose of perform ing at the International Exhibition.

Signor anj Signora Majeroni have pro duced a new play, "Jealousy," tit Mel bourne with immense success. The critics laud them to the skies.

The Handel Festival, in London, has been a fair success ; 59,420 persons attended the threw performances in the aggregate, and the proceeds were £33,000.

A company of clever amateurs gave, in German, at tho Adelaide Albeit Hall, on Monday evening, August 27, L'Arronge's comedy in five acts, ''"Doctor Klaus."

During a recent performance of " Struck Oil " at Melbourne, Miss Maggie Moore is said to hare had (54 bouquets thrown to her, ono floral tribute being in the shape of a honse-shoe attached to the American flag. •'•The Abduction of Rebecca," a famous painting by Delacroix, \vas recently sold at auction in Palis. It was the property of M. Raymond Sabatier, and brought $10,200.

A. fC. Armstrong and Son (Boston) an nounce a new story of naval adventure, by the late William H. G. Kingston, en titled, "From Powder-Monkey to an Ad miral."

The Princess Louise's portrait of an English sailor, shown in the Grosvenor Gallery at London, is a capital picture. The flesh painting is clear and linn, and thepoae of the iiguro unrestrained, easy and well managed.

M. Bartholdi's colossal statue of Liberty, for Now York harbour, is nearly finished, The head will soon be placed upon the body. Many persons have already visited the in terior of the figure. It is said to be roomy, and almost as clear as day. Miss Emilia Melville's newly-inaugurated season at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, bids fair to be a pronounced success. l; The Little Duke " is drawing well, and " Prince ilethusalem," "Boccaccio,"' and "Pa tience " are likely to follow.

Mine. Johanna Wagner, a niece of the great composer, lias been appointed pro fessor of singing at tho Munich Conser vatoire. This is the first time such a pro fessorship has been granted in Germany to a lady.

Funk & "Wagnalls (Boston) have in pre paration " Historical and Other Studies," by J. A. Fronde; " Artisan Life in the Time of Jesus "" by Professor Franz^Delitzsch; and " By -waya of Literature," by Dr. D. H. Wheeler.

Sir Arthur Gordon, according to an Eng lish paper, has brought back from Fiji a quantity of materials regarding the habits, folk-lore, etc., of the islanders, and it is said that a valuable book will probably be the result.

iidmo. Patti is to have rather more than £1,000 a night during her next American engagement. Tho money is to be lodged in tho bank for her before she sings a note. Note for note is the maxim that governs this transaction.

Johnny Hall, the popular comedian, leaves for San Francisco by the next steamer. He takes a benefit at the Bijou Theatre, Mel bourne, prior to his departure, when he will appear in his favourite rule of Captain Gingah, in Byron's "Our Girls."

Mr Martin Simonsen and Miss Leonora Simonsen gave, with local assistance, two concerts in Dashaway Hall, San Francisco, on August 10 and 17. The "Chronicle"' says the lady "a voice is well-developed, but hardly fully trained.

Sir Julius Benedict's forty-ninth annual concert took place on June 27. Nearly all the principal artists in London assisted, and the attendance, which was large and fashionable, included tlv; three young daughters of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

A charming head of a marble statue of Venus, which is declared by connoisseurs to belong to the best period of Greek ait, has been found in making excavations on the south side of tho Acropolis at Corfu. The Austrian Consul at Corfu has obtained pos session of it.

M. Sainton's farewell concert at London was a grand success. The main attraction, from a strictly professional point of view, was the appearance of Madame Sainton- Dolby, who came from her retirement to assist her husband on his last public appear-

Mr J. Pickersgill's panorama of "The Innocent's Abroad" opens in Auckland during the first weok of October. The views are not only more numerous (there are be tween sixty and seventy of them), bat of larger size than those generally shown. The Holy Land series should draw immensely. Mr George Eignold has received a letter from Mr Henry Irving, asking him to play Charles in Mr \V. (>. Wills' drama, " Charles 1.," in Australia. Mr Irving winds up by expressing ,1 hope that ho him self may cro long visit ''■ Greater Britain,'• as Sir Charles Dilke christened the vast Australian colonies.

"During Irving's absence in America he has arranged for Miss Mary Anderson, and subsequently Mr Laurence Barrett (Ameri can actor) tp appear at tho Lyceum. Miss Anderson, who onjoys the reputo of being " the most beautiful woman on the Ameri can stage," was to open early this month in " iyg11111"011 and Galatea." Signor Verdi's opera season in Melbourne ha« been vory a successful one. "Moses " was a great "hit." "Lucia" was repro duced for tho benefit of Miss Martina Simonsen, and " Don Giovanni" was given for the impresario' 3 benefit, on which occa sion Signora l'rampolini, Madame Simon sen, and Miss M. Simon Hen took tho lead ing parts. Cardinal . Newman, now in his eighty third year, has translated a play from Ter

ence and called it "Pincuna; or the Cup bearer." It was performed recently, His Eminence presiding, before an audienco in cluding many of the nobility, several of the Oxford heads of houses, and numerous dis tinguished literary men. The Cardinal was called repeatedly bofore the curtain. The novelties which Mr darner is at present busily preparing in London will include " The Silver King," and in the way of opera bouffes; "The Merry Duchess" and "Kip Van Winkle." Ono or other of these will be produced in Australia very shortly. Miss Myra Kerable, who was sometime ago in Auckland, Is enlaced to play the part of Nellie Denver in °'Tho SllTer King." Macmillan & Co. will shortly publish the first three books of an elaborate edition of "Herodotus," edited by Professor Sayce. A largo part of the voluma will bo devoted to critical essays on the early history of Egypt and the East. The remaining books, which troafe chiofly of Greek history, have been entrusted to Roginald Macau, now Lecturer in Greek Literature at Brasenoso and University College, Oxford. Miss Pomoroy is " starring " in Tasmania, and is due in Auckland at Christmas. Besides her husband (Mr Elliott) her com pany includes Prank Gerald (Pearson), H. Duff, Charles Hall, W. Arrowsmith, Hugh Power, E. Gladstone, J. G. Joyce, H. L»eton, F. C. Apploton, J. J. Kennedy and Miss Lily May (two old acquaintances), Miss B. Lewis, Miss F. Lewis, Miss Lyons, Miss Bronton. " Twelfth Night " and "The School for Scandal" were capitally performed at Launceston.

At a recent benefit performance nt the Britannia Theatre, London, "Othello" is said to hare been performed with a difFevent Moor in orery act, Mr Edgar Newbound opened tho ball in the first act; Mr J. H. Slater looked after the guards in act two ; in the third act Mr E. Drayton interviewed lago ; in the fourth Mr W. Steadmrm ltt Desdemona " rot and perish, and be damned ;" and in the fifth Mr J. B. Howe (well known here) did the smothering business effectively. This is as good as Rignold playing to six Juliets in Now York.

The '' New York Dramatic News " says : There is every likelihood that Miss Jeffrey? Lewis will bo added to tho list of Australian attractions the coming season. Negotia tions aro now pending between her ami Mr Morris Groenwall to that end. Mr Green wall desires one strong female attraction to precede his introduction of Mrs Langtry to the antipodes in the season of 18S4. His desire is to star Miss Lewis fora season of nine months in Australia and New Zealand, and then introduce her on the way home to the audiences of Bombay, Calcutta, and the Cape. In the event of her entering upon the tour, Miss Lewis will start from London within a month. A portion of her support will probably bo engaged there. The remainder will be secureeffrom among the local people at her destination. She will open in Melbourne.

THE NIAGARA WHIRPOOL.

Passage of the Maid of the Mist.

[from our: loxi>o>" COBEESPOXDEXT.]

In connection with the fatal and foolhardy venture of Captain Webb to swim through the whirlpool beneath the Falls of Niagara, the papers recall the wonderful passage made by a little steamer called the Maid of the Mist down the rapids and across the whirlpool. The San Francisco papers may have already furnished you with it; but, if not, I am sure the following vivid word picture will be scanned with deep interest :— Colonial readers, I suppose, know that the pool immediately beneath the Falls of Niagara is as calm as a fish-pond. The im mense cataract of water shoots down into the depths without in any way dis turbing tho surface, and lor * some distance the river is sufficiently placid to admit of steamers, ferryboats, or even iskifts plying backwards and forward* with out difficulty. Tiie anti-agnooas torrent reasserts itself about a mile below tho Falls, and then commenoe a series of rapids which culminate two miles further on in the whirlpool.

There hava been two steamers named the Maid of the Mist built on the section of the river between the falls and the whirl pool. The first was net up in 1840, and was rather a puny, rickety craft, with engine power scarcely adequate to her work, and it lvaa said nerer paid more than her expenses, as she took passengers from the Canadian side of the river. Eight years later a more powerful boat, the new Maid of tho Mist, was launchod, "and," says a writer dating from Niagara, "many thous and persons made this most exciting and impressive tour under tho Falls. Tho admiration which tho Visitor felt as he passed quietly along under the American fall was changed into awo when ha began to feel the mighty pulsso of tho great deep just below the tower ; then swung round into tho white foam direotlv in front of tha.horso shoe, and saw the sky of waters falling to ward him." "Of course," remarks anothor writer, referring to this vessel, "it was built above the Whirlpool, nerer passed it, and never trill ) and with Scylla on the one hand and Charybdis on tho other, itd voy ages must bo very short ones/ The owner of the craft, however, wished at length to sell her, and as he could find no customer for her in the pool, and had an offer of something more than half her cost if de livered down below the rapids, he deter mined to make the venturo, and the nar rative of the voyage certainly is not encouraging either for a nvimmer or a navigator. Mr. G. W. Holley tell.s the story with considerable effective ness. An engineer, a Breman, and a pilot were tho indispensable crew, and threo volunteers wore found to run tho risk. They put her in complete trim, removing everything that was superfluous, and, notice having been given of the intention to run her through, a vast assemblage gathered on the banks to witness the fear ful plunge. '' With a shriek from her whistle and a white puff from her escape pipe, to take leave, as it -were, of the multitude gathered on the shores and on the bridge, tho boat ran up tho eddy a short distance, then swung round to the right, cleared the (smooth water, and shotjlike an arrow into the rapid under tho bridge." The boat, it should be observed, was 72 feet long, with 17 feet depth of beam and eight feet depth of hold. She took the outside curve of the rapid, o.nd, when a third of the way down it, a jet of water struck against her rudder, a column dashed up under her starboard side, heeled her over, carried- away her smoke-stack, started her bulwarks on that side, throw one of the crow on his back, and hurled another against tho starboard wheel-house with such force as to break it through. Every eye was fixed, every tongue was silent, and every looker-on broathed more freely as she emerged from tho dreadful baptism, shook her wounded sides, slid into tho whirlpool, and for a moment rode again on an even keel. The pilot rose at once, soized tho helm, set her to the right of the cauldron of tho pool, then turned her directly through the neck of it. Thence, after re ceiving another drenching from its crushing

| wares, she dashed on without further accf dent to the quiet bosom of the river below Lewiston. This is tho voyage that Webb lis said to be pledged to perform, and as I this little boat had engines of a hundred ; horse-power working under the highest | pressure they were capable of, the power of a swimmer in this current to control his j own coarse may be imagined. The Whirl -1 pool is not quite accurately named. It jis a large eddy in which small i whirlpools are constantly forming and breaking, and trees, fifty feet Ion" and , from two to three feet in diameter, may often be seen whirling in it for a month or six weeks before escaping to the rapids I below. The terrors of such a passage may partly be inferred from tho efleet the voyage jof the little steamer had upon her pilot—a ; man whoso courage was beyond question and whose coolness at the helm was con spicuous. His wifo was used to say that he aged twenty years in that short voyage, and it was commonly reported to have been the . real cavise of [his death. Both manner and ■ appearance, it is said, were changed. "He j had been as it were in the arms°>f a power jso mighty that its impress was stamped on | his features and on his mind. Through a slightly opened door lie had seen a vision I which awed and subdued him. He becamo reverent in a moment. Ho grew venerable : in an hour."

An Extensive Bank Robbery.

The times were diffi cult for men of business, and the banking firm of Rogers, Olding, Sharpe, and Boycott had their own peculiar anxiety. One Monday morning in November, 1544, when the acting partners went down to business at the usual hour, they wonj confronted with what, at tho fil'st glance, must have looked like a threat of ruin. When the great iron safe, in which all the valuables of the bank were kept, was opened, it was found to lie empty. When it was closed on Saturday night it had con tained more than £40,000 in bank notes, over t'l,ooo in gold, and £5,000 in bills of exchange. The safe had been opened some time in the course of .Sunday with one of its own keys, the whole of the money and bills taken out, and the iron door closed again. The iron safe was in an inner office, and was meant never to bo unguarded. One of the partners lived on the premises, and one of the clerks was always supposed to be in the bank day and night. On Sunday, the 24th of November, the day clerk asked permission to go out for a few hours, and as one of his employers was on the preiai.es,the leave was given. It was thought that, during his absence, the robbery was effected by some persons who had been helped and warned by a dishonest servant;, The thieves wero prevented from proiiting by their immense booty by the admirable promptitude with which the matter was followed up. It was a race between the owners of the notes and the robbers which should be first in reach ing foreign banks. The thieves had the start, but so promptly were the numbers and dates of the stolen notes communicated to home and continental bankers that the thieves were unable to make use of them. Their promptitude was shown in the fact that a single noto, which in the haste had been omitte.! from the list, was instantly cashed at the Uaiik of England before the firm had disco/ered the omission. Two months after the robbery the Bank of Eng land repaid to Messrs Rogers and Co. the value of the stolen paper, £40,710, upon the usual guarantee of indemnity in case the notes should ovur be presented for pay ment. In the end the actual loss was small, but until the notes had been recovered and cancelled at the Bank of England a constant source of anxiety remained. A reward of £3,000 was first offered. This failing, it was reduced to £2,000; and ai the end of about two years, just after notieo had been given that, on a day named, it would be further reduced to £-_\(X)0, the notes were got back and tho £2,500 was paid.—" Samuel Sharpe, by V. 0. Clayden."

A Lesson on the Sparrow.

. 'What sort of a'bird is 1111 -■':' | ' This is an English sparrow. He cannot : carry off a lamb, like tliu eaylo, nor is he ; provided with teeth mid claws like the tiger, j but he leaves his mark all the same ?' ' j ' How did he ' here?' ' A philanthropise brought him over from ( England ' ■ What is n philanthropist?' ' Ho is a cross between :; lunatic and an I idiot.' ' What did he want; to bring'the sparrow i to New Zealand for?' | • Bccunsc he liated the country and wanted revynjfo. It wasn't enough for hiiu that we should have small-pox,measles, . fev.-rs, i'-iiv.st iires, and grass-hopper j 'What are the chief men-its of the spar j row ?' ' Hi.-? beautiful voice and lovable nature. j His song is much sweater than a lilo rasping i over cast-iron that people have died after hearing it." ' How docs ho employ his time ?' 'In screaming, fighting, and other forms of larrikinism.' 1 Where does ho build his nest?' ' In the cornices of houses. If ho could have the use of 1,000 trees rent free ho would I turn up his nose at tlio oiler. He couldn't j damage a tree any, but he can make it ne cessary to paint a house every month.' ' Of what is his nest composed V ' Of everything he can handle, except old jam tins and empty beer bottles.' ' Does the hard-hearted citizen over destroy those nests?' ' He does. When his family clothes-line, or crow-bar, or long-handled shovel is miss ing, lie pulls down the nest and recovers thu lost article.' ' Whatgdoes the poor sparrow do then ?' ' He rebuilds.' ' Can he be discouraged ?' ' If his nest is pulled bown 15,000 or 20,000 times he might commence to feel down hearted, but those who have routed him out ">OO or GOO times have not seen him even change countenance.' ' Would it be wicked to kill one of these sparrows ?' ' Awfully wicked. The philanthropist would raise such a howl that the killer would have to ship the country. Besides, you can't shoot 'em, they won't be poisoned, and no one ever yet trapped one. A man down in Waikato thinks a blow with a barn door might fetch 'em, but it is as yet an un tried experiment.' ' That is all for this time. Let us now lay away our books and sit on the steps and listen to the ravishing melody of the sparrow's evening song.'

A correspondent sends the London " Globe " a copy of the " Fanfulla," repro ducing the account given by an accom plished Roman swimmer namod Signor Ricci, of hia successful peformance on tho 26th of August, 1876, of "the same feat which cost Captain Webb hia life." Tho "Globe" says:— " Without depreciating the honour earned by Signor Ilicci, we cannot help, thinking that tho two feats must havo boon very different. The Italian swam, accord ing to his own account, across the rapids and back again, but ho says nothing of swimming down tho river through the whirlpool, which we believe was, ami is, absolutely impossible."

STAR SATUEDAF STT&jriJJsBXENT, SEfTJSMJ^JER 22, 1883.

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