SPORTING.

PRINCIPAL RACING FIXTURES.

New Zealand. Dunodin .).(:. Winter May 23 and 21 Takapuna J.C. Winter Meeting MayL't (irand National Steeplechase Mooting..May 21 WiiiiKanui J.V. .Slccplcrliasc llreling.. ..May u'l lliiwku's Bay J.C. Steeplechases I line -li Australia. S.A.J.C. Autumn May 10. lf>. and 17 Adelaide li.C. Meeting May 31, aland3l Sydney Turf Club Meeting Hay 21

Dates of Nominations, Entries and Accep tances.

Acceptances and general entries Tnlia puna Birthday Meeting May 10 NominationsHawke's Bay Steeplechase..May 20

To Correspondents.

Lex (North ShorcJ.-Libcllcr won the S.C.J.C. Handicap in ISS.\ I In carried 'at 101b, and ran tho 1' mile in 2min. ISlsecs. CAMlir.tiioK.—Minuet (late Highland Fling) was got by Uarensvrorth out, of (Jiiickstep, by Nutworth out of Flirt (an imported mare). iN'oriltßU.—Wo cannot say whether the next N.Z. Cup and Derby will he run on the same day. Last your, the Cum was run on the first day, and tho Derby on the second. .T.A.T.—Bnlvo is by MaritiyrnongfromStella.by Kingston (imported). Besides Salvo, tl\e Hon. J. White has Supcrha. Tolanthc, Iliindo, Phil Athol. Bargo, and Tromando engaged in the next V.U.C. Derby.

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

Tasman's brilliant achievements during tho now waning season under hoavy imposts havo been truly wonderful, and not the least meritorious were his victories in the Timaru Cup and S.C..T.C. Handicap. Brilliant indeed they were, for although in the list of Timaru Cup winners appear the names of two of the best horses that have trod the New Zealand turf in the shape of Mata and Sir Modred, their performances fail to come up to the gallant son of St. Albans and Zillah, he having the honour of carrying the highest weight borne to victory in therace.andthe credit of running it in the fastesttirae. Tasman has beenaperfectgold mine to his owner, Mr D. O'Brien, in whose "rosoand black " banner he commenced his racing career as a three-year-old, During the season of 1881-82, his winnings amounted to £853, and in 1882-83 rose to £1,506", and I think when the time comes round for " Pegasus" to issue his useful statistics for this season, it will be found that he is at the top of the tree. His wins this season comprise the Geraldine Racing Club Handicap of 150sovs., Geraldine Cup of luOsovs., New Zealand Cup of l,ooosovs., Ashburton Cup of I.'jOsovs., Marshall Memorial Stakes of 150sovs., C.J.C. Easter Handicap of ISOsovs., Timaru Cup of 20030V8., with trophy value SOsovs., and S.C.J.C. Handicap of ISOsovs. Up to the present time, Tasman has al together started in 40 races, with what result the following tablo will show :— Ist. 2nd. 3rd. Unplaced. At three years .. SB— 3 At four years 12 3 2 - At five years .. 8 — — 2 Mr A. Snider, so well and favourably known throughout New Zealand, left Christchureh this week en route for Aus tralia, where he intends to settle, and will arrive hore by the s.s. Rotomahana on Monday next. Previous to leaving Dunedin, Mr Snider was entertained at a complimentary banquet, forty gentlemon sitting down, and telegraphic apologies were read from several Christchureh horse owners. It is now about eleven years since genial "Abe" first set foot in Maoriland, and although he has been connected with some of the biggest commissions and betting transactions during that time, he has never been known to act in any other way but an upright manner. On behalf of his profes sional brethren here and many private Auckland friends, I wish him Inn voyage, and hope that we may some day again see his cheery face amongst us. The following are the acceptances for tho Adelaide Cup of 2,50050v5., run on the 15th May, and the correct imposts the various horses will carry :— st. lb. St. lb Commotion ..9 7 Hurricane .. 7 G Sting .. ..9 0 Baron V. Mueller 7 S Fryingpan" ..9 3 Oreswick .. ..7 3 Malua .. ..HO Vergy .. ..7 2 Hoyal Irishman S 0 Agitation ...0 10 Little Sistert ..SO Ned o'the Hills.. (> 10 Ringwood .. 713 Lord Wilton .. ti 10 Nicholas .. .. 712 Lancaster.. .. G 8 Coulston .. .. 711 Conjecture .. Ii 3 Claptrap 710 Country Boy ..«0 King of tho Valo 7 8 Gymkhana ..GO Topaz ... 7 G * Including 31b penalty. t alb penalty. Sting is favourite for the event at 100's to 10 taken, and Claptrap, Fryingpan, Malua, Colstoun, Ringwood, and Creswick have been backed at 100's to 8. The Cambridge Jockey Club are to be congratulated on the success that attended their Autumn Meeting, and the racing from all accounts was the best witnessed on the course. Normanby seems to have been in excellent form, for in the Cup, with Sst, he defeated Fishwoman (7st 81b), Adminis trator (Bst 101b), and eight others, while in the Publicans' Purse on the second day he was also successful in getting home in front. Chandler appropriated the Hurdles on the first day, but on the second he got done, and in the Steeplechase had the misfortune to come down at the last jump from home. Tho Auckland Racing Club Great Northern St. Leger, to be run at the Autumn Meeting of 1886, has closed with 32 nominations. Musket has 13 represen tatives opposite his name : Foul Play, 3 ; Leolinus, Cadogan, Cap-a-pie, and Ariel, 2 each; Maribyrnong, Anteros, Feve, The Premier, Hailstorm, Mute, Talisman, Patriarch, 1 each. The New Zealand Stud Company's Sires' Produce Stakes has 18 nominations, Musket, Leolinus, Anteros, and Cap-a-pie being the sires represented. That game bit of stuff Sardonyx, has at last bid good-bye to the turf, his owner Mr A. Town, having decided to put him to the stud at Richmond, where he will have an opportunity of gaining fresh laurels. He ran his last race in the A.J.C. Plate, weight-forage, when with 9st 51b he got to within a length of Le Grand, and behind him were Sweet William, Martini-Henry, and Pell Mall. During his turf career, Sardonyx ha 3 started forty-one times, scoring seven wins, fourteen seconds, five thirds, and being unplaced fifteen times. Ab is generally known, he was got by Fire works, and the New Zealand Stud Com pany are the owners of his dam, Onyx. Ab I predicted last week, the match be tween the Hon. J. White's Maribyrnong Plate winner lolanthe, and Mr Cooper's Buckingham for l,ooosovs. aside did not take place. It was the cause of a deal of disappointment, but there was no help for it, Buckingham having broken down in one of his fetlocks. According to the terms of the match, Mr Cooper had to forfeit SOOsovs. The annual disposal of thoroughbred stock from the various New South Wales stud farms took place during the off-days of the A. J.C. Meeting. At Mr Clibborn's sale the Hon. J. White, despite his bad luck, gave 1,120 guineas for a bay colt by Maribyrnong from Lady Kingston—the highest price ob tained at any of the sales. The Tocal year lings numbered sixteen, and nine of them reached three figures, Mr Pearson getting the pick of the lot, a brown colt by Golds brough from Powder, for 625 guineas. The same buyer also secured a full sister to The Broker for 270 guineas, and a bay or brown filly, by The Drummer, for 220 guineas. Tho second highest price for one of this lot was 370 guineas, given by Mr Proudfoot for a brown colt by Goldsbrough from Thirza. The highest price reached for the Fernhill yearlings was ISO guineas, given by Mr J. Wilson for a chestnut colt by Chandos from Atholine, the dam of Habena, Narina, and others. Nothing sensational occurred with regard to the Colley Creek and Hobarville lots, two of the former realising 250 guineas each, while Mr C. T. Roberts was not to be shook off the Grand Flaneur—Lady Blair

filly, which ho secured tit 410 guinoas. A full brother to First Demon was knocker down to Mr J. Dargin for :>OO guineas, ami Mr T. Lamond purchased a colt by King oi the Ring from Sappho for 200 guinea?, After the settling on the A.J.C. Meeting, the next Melbourne Cup and Derby came in fora bit of notice. (Jarlield and Garfield was the double most in request, and wa> backed for all thcaviiilublo money up to 1,1)00'. ---to 'JO. King's Own had a large following, and nothing hotter than I,ooo's to 1.") was obtainable. In mixed goods, Bargo, liar iiold, and King's Own, finishing with Mar tini-Honry, were those most fancied ; and to win a lot of money they were separately backed at 100's to ';">, at which liguro tho market was exhausted. "Vigilant," of the " Melbourne Sports man," writes :—" 1 had a good look at the chestnut son of Blair Athol when in Sydney, and, although the colt is a big 'mi, I don't like him. I'nil Athol will, in my opinion, never win a Derby or Cup in spite of his ab normal dimensions. Although barely two years old, tho colt is as big as Lo Grand, and very leggy. Ofnll the two-yoar-oldstliat have performed this season nothing lias taken my fancy so much as a colfc of Mr White's, who so far, has not earned a winning bracket. I allude to Tremnndo, who only came oil grass a month back, and whom 1 would rather back for any distance, with 1) stone up, than I'hil Atliol with six. Nous iw- TUHX. " It is not unlikely that Tasman may be rolcgated to tho stud before next season (says tho Christchureh correspondent of the ; " Witness"), but I presume this will de pend greatly upon tho weight allotted him on Juno 1. But as he has done Dan such good service, it is quite on the cards that the game old horse would return his owner a better profit from tho stud than otherwise, especially as tho number of our local thoroughbred stallions is very small just now. Tho total sum paid over at tho settling onthelatoA. J.C. Autumn Meetingamounted to £5,124. The largest winner was Mr \V. 11. Hall, who netted £1,498 ; Mr.T. Mcma "han received £I,XU : the Jlon. .lames White, £1,112; Mr D. S. Wallace, i'Stil ; Mr K. Keys, £450 ; Mr 11. K. Maitland, £355; Mr A. Vidooek, i' 334 ;Mr A. F. Smart, £313; Mr John Mayo, £310: and Mr W. Branch, £256. Chicard's victory in the English Grand International Hurdle Race was a great turn up for the ring, nearly all of whom "skinned the lamb." His owner Mr Wm. Gregory, had under pressure aeceptod a bet of 300 to i) from a brother professional, but tho trainer didn't back tho horse for six pence. Previously Chicard had proved a most disappointing beast, doing great things in private and nothing whatever in public.

CONDENSED ITEMS.

Lord Falmouth's sale takes place in July. The Hon. J. White owns a full brother to Morpeth. Mr Pearson has taken 5000 to 500 about Fryingpan for the Adolaido Cup. The exact money valuo of the Great Autumn Handicap was £470 os. The annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club takes place on Tuesday, 10th May. " Forty-five nominations havo been received for the Sydney Turf Club Queen's Birthday Cup. The day before the Sydney Gold Cup tho Hon. James White was ottered one thou sand pounds for Morpeth. Liverpool is favourite in Christchureh for the next C.J.C. Derby at 4 to 1, Trenton and Laly Evelyn being at 5 to 1 each. Mr A. F. Smart's three-year-old colt Warwick started in tho City Handicap at the A.J.C. Meeting, but tailed to secure a place. Saionara, got by Maribyrnong from Sappho, and who cost 1,500 guineas as a yearling, was sold in Sydney the other week for £50. Garfiold has been backed at 7,000 to 1,000 to win the Y.R.C. Derby. 1,000 to 100 has been taken about Tremando for the same event. Power, whose collar-bone was dislocated in the Sydney Cup, is rapidly recovering, and may yet be able to ride Frying Pan in the Adelaide Cup. It is rumoured that Bob Ray intends leaving the Robinson stable, and will race on his own account. E. Cutts is mentioned as Kay's successor. About the same hour as Le (Irand won the Sydney St. Leger, Don Quixote (also Mr Donald Wallace's) was winning the Easter Handicap at Ballarat. The Hon. W. Pearson's yearlings, Lady Teazle, by Angler from Calumny, and Sparkle, by Spark from Azure, have gone into Mr F. F. Dakin's hands. Somnus, who was favourite for tho Y.R.C Derby in Darebin's year, has been put to the stick business in Wanganui, but so far has proved a lamentable failure. The Sydney Cup won by Favo was worth £1,025. Bargo's victory in the Champagne Stakes was worth £090, but the St. Leger only totalled up for Le Grand t'4ls. Mr W. Douglas, of Napier, has purchased the jumping horse called Andy. He is a most promising customer from all accounts, and has shown a lot of form in the South. The ready-money division of the ring now find their occupation gone at Rand wick, owing to the stringent rules recently framed by the A.J.C. Committee. A West Coast exchange says that Mr Emerson, of Hokitika, has sold Marie Stuart for £175. Her destination is Auck land, and it is understood she is to go to the stud. Captain Cotton has purchased the steeple chaser Hercules, and the horse is now domiciled in one of Dan O'Brien's boxes. The price is reported as between 300 and 400 guineas. One of the features of the A.J.C. Meet ing was the phenomenal success an a trainer of J. Monaghan, who won five races with the aid of the horses he prepared, and ran three seconds. The Hawkesbury Handicap winner, Ex gress, by Trump Card, from a mare by laud dv Val, has joined the long list of those who are intended for India, Mr Mayo having disposed of her to Mr Uphill for £600. "Senex" says that Trenton is a hand some colt of good substance, combined with quality, and unless he belies his present ap pearance should by next November develop into a very high-class Derby horse. On the last day of the A.J.C; Meeting, it will be remembered Lord Exeter and lolanthe ran a dead heat for tho Nursery Handicap. In the run off, the former won by a length and a quarter. "Beacon "is very rough ou Hobbs and Goodwin for the way in which they worked the totalisator at the C.J.C. Autumn Meet ing. In the Hunt Cup they made a mis take of £100 by putting up the wrong figures. Mr George Elliott, of Christchurch, in forms " Beacon " that he has Vol. VIII of the New Zealand Stud Book in hand, and that it will appear early next year. Infor mation addressed to him as Editor, N. Z. Stud Book, Christchurch, will duly reach him. It is admitted on all hands in the South that Liverpool was not himself in the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes. He looked well enough to the eye, but showed plainly that he had not recovered from the attack of in fluenza which prevented his appearance at the Dunedin Meeting. Frivato sources say that the yearling sister to Le Grand, who is now at The Grange, Brisbane, is 16 hands high, and wonderfully like the champion. If Mr Kent decides to dispose of this youngster, there ought to be some big bidding. A man in the south of England has succeeded in pulling off a novel treble event. He took £300 to £1 that he named the winner of the Waterloo Cup, that he walked six miles in an hour, and that he named the winner of the Croydon Inter national Hurdle Race, What a treble !

"Mazoppa" says that Oudcis is nomin ally first favourite for the N.Z. Cup at 100 to S ; July coming noxt at 100 to 7, and Van guard about third at 100 toll. Others aro at from 100 to sto 100 to ]. Sir Bedovero is roported to havo been backed by his owner for a good amount. At Mr Clibborn's sale, tho long-bottled up Pell Mell changed hands, Mr.l.Scobie purchasing him for tho jumping business. Mr A. F. Smart also got rid of Grosvonor (Chester's brother), who goes to the stud, and Hesperian, the llawkesbury Handicap winner "of 18S0, brought 200 guineas. Aberfoyle found a purchaser at'2os guineas. It is stated that Mr \V. A. Lon<; is on the look out again for another private racing establishment, and the whilolm owner of that equine wonder, (irand Flaneur, will soon have his colours in full swing again. Colloy will in all probability have the re tainer as first mount, and the clover T. Brown be in command. Le Grand and Martini-Henry fought a brilliant battle for the Cumberland Stakes (says " Xemo'"), and the artistic manner in which the two colts were ridden reflected tho greatest credit upon O'Brien and Wil liamson. The latter had a lot of trouble to control the son of Musket, who several times tried to play tricks. .A case of swindling by painting a horse is alleged to have been perpetrated on the West Coast. The allegation is that a horse named Mustard, who came in lirst in the Hurdle Race on the opening day of the Westland Autumn Meeting, had been clipped previous to the races and daubed with some kind of composition on the face.

Gambling Exploits of a Princess.

Within a day or two, says a Paris lotter, society has been considerably interested over the re-appcaranco of the Princess Souwaroff. This handsome Russian lady was, during many seasons, tho reigning star at Nice and Monaco, and was not the less remarkable on account of her frequent attempts to break the bank. She has not been seen at either of those places or in Paris since 1878. She lived so fast here and gambled so heavy at Monte Carlo that the late Czar forbade her to leave the Empire until she repaired hor fortunes. Whether she has done so or not it is more than one can tell, but she is certainly back in Paris, where she has already rented a magnificent house, in which she is going to have some fun beforo the winter is over. The princess, whose maiden name was Basilewska, was enormously wealthy when she married the Prince Souwaroff, whose fortune was very moderate. After a few years of matrimony they agreed to disagree, and an amicable separation took place. The prince devoted himself to travelling, and the princess went to Monaco in search of excitement. She played with large stakes, and her boldness, her coolness, and her alternate heavy losses and winnings were the sensation or Monte Carlo. Every evening, when the gambling-room closed, she entertained a large party of guests at supper in her villa on the Promenade dcs Anglaiß. Some rather racy anecdotes are related about her, and her many decidedly eccentric associates gave her a somewhat scandalous reputation. One of these tales is that after one of her suppers the princess, taking off her slipper, threw it across the room, whereupon an actress of the Palais Royal Theatre, who was among her guests, picked it up, filled it with champagne wine, and emptied it at a .draught to the health of the hostess. This so pleased the princess that she ex claimed, as she embraced the actress, " To morrow, my dear, you shall have a villa of your own, next door to mine." This promise was kept, and the actress has now the slipper under a glass case. A very stylish young man, who got cleaned out at Ircnla-de-quarante at Monaco, amused himself one evening by marking game for.the rich Russian lady, who, being pleased with his appearance, accepted his services, although he was a stranger. That day she was a heavy winner, ana when she left the table offered this gentleman a thou sand franc note in so delicate a manner that a refusal was impossible. The next day the same transaction was repeated, and again and again durine the whole week. Then luck turned against the princess, and the strange gentleman placed his purse at her disposal, who accepted his offer, and was soon able to pay the loan with interest. This gavo rise to a sort of partnership, and at the end of the season her cavaliere j sen-ante left Monaco with Si clear profit of 20,000 francs,

CLIPTOMANIA.

[Si'ficiAi.iiV Si:i.kctki> iiy ot'K London ('oHKKSI'(iSI)KNT. ] IX'Ki.xii tho ninth wait/., Oscar, pointing to his boots, remarked to Feliciana, " You can't say 1 have no polish." "No," said she : " but you shine at the wrong end." " Is it possible that you don't know the names of your best friends Vl' inquired a gentleman of a young lady. "Certainly," "she replied; "1 don t even know what my own may be a year hence." Mrs 1). : " Well, here I am, all ready for the party." Mr I). :" Is that your new dross?" Mrs D. : "Yea. It is right in style. How do you like it;" Mr D. : "It seems to mo the neck is fearfully low." Mrs D. : " Oh, that ie all right. It in the very latest cut. That is called a V neck." Mr I). : "Indeed ! 1 should call it a C neck." The following memorial verse follows an obituary notice in the " Baltimore Still " : — He heard the angels calling him From the celestial shore. Ho Hopped his wings, and awny ho went. To make one angel more. If cats could only speak ! At Guildhall, the other day, five barristers and live litigants were engaged in the fourth trial which has arisen around the question , whether a certain person, on a certain , day last autumn, did or did not throw a : certain kitten at the prosecutor. There | are eye-witnesses who "saw" the kitten; thrown, and eye witnesses who saw "no kitten there at all ;" but, like Launce's dog, tho kitten alone holds its peace. If the It S.P.C. A. could teach cats to speak, ; cruelty to animals would soon become an ; extinct otlbncc. They wotdd call for the police. i Among the curious and rare phenomena , taking place in tho world ia the singular disappearance of a hill in the Ardennes. It lay near the town of Durbay, and served in former days as a place of execution. Since February 23rd it no longer exists, and a stony plain with hollow excavations is to be soon in its fltcad. The only indication of the hill having been swallowed up wasaslight earthquake felt the same afternoon in the neighbourhood—" Figaro," j Recently a gentleman, not of the sweetest of tempers, was frustrated in his attempt to get into the train while in motion by a care ful station-master. There was no train that would suit him for hours. He paced the platform like a wild animal in a cage. Later tho tame official accented him with : " You ought to be very thankful, sir, I pulled you back from that train ; there has been a col lision." " Thankful I" foamed that gentle man. " Here have I been waiting for six teen years to be in a railway accident, and you have cheated me out of it! Thankful! It makes it worse than ever. There is no telling how much damages 1 might havo got from your company if it had not been for your meddling." I "Bigamy cases," says the "Pall Mall, Gazette," " seldom have any legal interest for lawyers at the present day, but they I sometimes throw a little incidental light on i theories of ancient law. Everyone knows, : for instance, how at one time the essence of a contract consisted in the ceremonial, and how the slightest departure from the customary observance invalidated the whole. The state of mind reflected by this stage in the history of contract may still be found here and there in the present day, and a good instance of it cropped up lately in p case in the Southwark Police Court, when a prisoner charged with bigamy : defended himself on the ground that he had only married his first wife with a brass ring. The lady herself seems to have | shared the delusion, and independent wit- | nesses were called to prove the prevalence . of the superstition. They had clearly none , of them ' heard tell' of the church door key." To Captain Wilson, R.N., of the Hecla, it has fallen to uphold the peculiar reputa tion of British pluck in Egypt. Seeing a gap in the square, whither live or six Arabs were hastening, he is said to have filled the gap as best he could with his own body, and, for want of a sword, began to knock down the Arabs with his fists until help arrived. " Never so surprised in myjfc," said one black-eyed Arab, as ho es«*Pd with a blacker eye than usual,

The bill for assuring (lie copyright of new* published by journals eight hours from going to press would, ut any rate, have onu rather unexpected good result. It would enable the public to detect the author of falso nowx A journal appearing for eijjlit hours with the monopoly of a startling Ho would hardly like to repeat the conspicuous process.—"Globo," The passion for relics appears to be on the increase. Not very long ago Marwood's ropo and bag were sold and exhibited to many of the defunct one's admirers, Now we hear that a hair from the head of Henry Clay, obtained when the coffin wa« opened, was sold the other day by auction for :iO cent?., while a piece of the towel that was used in staunching the wound of President Lincoln was knocked down at the same time to a Baltimore dealer for a matter of four or | five shillings. Instead of hogging a groat j .statesman, or a popular author, or n famous i actress for an autograph, why should they | not be asked for a " hair of y«ur head J" It is possible, of course, that statesmen and | authors might have none to spare, even none left, and actresses might give a yellow one one day and a black one the next, but these would only prove exceptions. Home day the hair album may take the place of r,he autograph. — " Pall Mall Gazette." What to do with that unwieldy monster, the Great Eastern steamship, has been a difficult question to determine. ijreat things were expected of her when she was built, but she has been a miserable failure ; and there have been many suggestions as to how she might be utilised. A few weeks ago it was suggested that she might bo used as a floating hotel for the accommodation of visitors to the forthcoming international ex hibition in Holland. 'Die idea seemed a good one, but it appoars that it is not to be carried out; and the latest news regarding the steamer is that she is to bo sent to Gib raltar, and to be converted into a coal hulk. As a coal hulk, the Great Eastern will cer tainly servo a useful purpose ; but what a descent for the leviathan that was to sail proudly over the stormiest seas, and revo lutionise ocean navigation ! Two unfortunate twins named Chilllot, of Tarare, in Franco, have junt died. They wore unfortunate beyond the lot of ordinary twins. According to the " Patrio," how ever far apart they might be from oach other, "when one fell ill the other fell ill also. Thus they have each suffered from a double Bet of illneiies, and now, at the age of fifty-one, they have both died, be cause one of them caught a foyer, "and when ho died the neighbours cried and buried John." Poor twins ! Poor "I'at rie " to publish such a fib. Fox-hunting, cruel as it is even undor tho most favourable circumstances, may become a positive crimo if it is pursued in the fashion recently adopted by a number of brutal sportsmen in a Now Jersey village. At Williamstown, it seems, a fox-hunt was announced, and a fox was duly caught in readiness for the sport. Unfortunately its leg was broken in the trap, and as tho poor animal was unable to walk it was con fined for a fortnight, at the end of which time it could stand on its feet, but tho leg was not healed. On the day fixed for the great hunt a crowd of spectators assembled to see tho fox unbagged. The fox, however, looking bewilderingly from side to side, dazed and helpless. His brush was shaven to a stump, to facilitate his movements, it was said. In order to compel the fox to show sport one of tho "sportsmen" poured a flask of turpentine over the miserable animal, causing it to make a feeble effort to escape. It ran a little way with a curious sidelong lope, dragging his broken leg in sheer help lessness. " But it now stopped again and rolled itself in agony on the sere winter grass. Again the turpentine was applied, andsmartfngunderthebitingpainhetriedto gain a thicket. The hounds were let loose, the horseman followed, and in a moment the struggle was over. The wounded fox skivered with fright. A short, sharp struggle, a sound of tearing-flesh and crunching bones, and the intrepid little chase lay dead and mangled beneath the eyes of the gallant sportsman, And this happened at Williamstown, county Glouc ester, U.S.A., in the year 1884, tho par takers being the heads of the village com munity and the surrounding country— nominally Christians and certainly men— "Pall Mall Gazette,"

"THE LIGHT'S O' LONDON."

! ABBOTT'S OPERA JIOVSE TSYEUY EVENING, 1 :.._-i^..:=.™ . - _

•| i ■ . Tine above piny, which is now ln-inu' plnyeil ■ nijilitly lit the Opera House by the "Youth" Company, is onu which almost instantly : brought its nutlior world-wide celebrity. His previous reputation as a journalist nml ■ song writer of .some power was well eslab -1 lished in London several years ago, pailieil l lurly by those ballads appearing horn time lo ' time hi the Ufj'i'ive over the signature of ■ >-I)iigunel«" His skill as a dramatist has 1 been shown in "dutch and Toothpick" and • "Romany Rye;" but "Tho Lights o" I' London" bad a far greater success than 1 either of t.hese when first produced at the ! Princess Theatre, where it ran for two ■ HiiihOiiK. Since then it lias been played in nearly every quarter of tho globe, and ■ finally comes to us after great reooptions > not long since in Australia, and quite ! lately in Duiiediii, Christchurch, and Wei ■ lington. Tliore it made even a greater impression than the spectacular "Youth." ' Mr. Sims is an explorer, lie has not crossed ' Africa from sea to sea like Commander Lovott ' Caineron, nor did he traverse Australia a-foot as did Mr. Ernest Morrison. But ho has plunged deep into the dark heart of poverty stricken London, and told his adventures ! and experiences in such a way that he lias : stirred up public feeling in England at the eleventh hour as to the necessity of doing something to get rid of the huge black blot which is ,i rc-pioiLcl. to tho civilisation, the : wealth and boasted charity of Great Britain. ' Tho author of that now famous pamphlet, i "Tho Bitter Cry of Outcast London," pub licly acknowledge* the assistance derived . from Mi1. Sims' writings in the PMorlul I World in compiling his own little work. Probably no one in England bus done more ■ to draw attention to the wickedness, misery, and crime in which thousands of Londoners are born, reared, live and die, than the author of "The Lights o' London." And ill the play he has drawn largely upon the intimate j knowledge lie possesses of tlie horrors of what i Mr. Sala has aptly called the "seamy side" I of life in tho cruel vast metropolis. His hero and heroino are country-born, but they coino to the great city to sutler want and hardship, and there work out tho plot of the play, which follows their fortunes pretty closely throughout. Tho motif of tho drama is taken from port of one of the "Dugonot" ballads. Tho hoi'O and heroine are country born and bred, A runaway match brings them disinheritance, and they take refuge in London. " Tho rears miss'il on and found lliom W'ilhin tin- iniKlity fold : Tho years had brought them trouble, liiit broiiKlit Uiom little s^'d. There from their Karret window, On lout,'. Hi ill smnmi'r iuklilh, They'd seek t)u> fur-oil' country Beyond tho London Lights.

Oh! morkiiiK- Lamps of London, W'hal weary cy.'s look down Anil mourn tli'c d'.-iy iliovaiwy IHi ! Lights uf London Town !" This, of course, is only the barest fliggention of tliu drift of the play. The plot it is un necessary to reveal hero. Hut it contains sonic thrilling situations, which mm pre sented with the vi most, realism. Stage mounting and scenery.'lie quite as important in this play as in "Ymilh." And when we say that there is n desperate struggle on a canal bridge, and a daring rescue from drowning; a hand-to-hand light amid coster mongers, thiuves, police, and loafers, and finally a showman with a real live pony and . a caravan, it can easily bo seen that the sonibro colouring iiromised by the verses quoted nbuvu is relieved by something very different. From flic above remarks it will easily be understood what a highly-coloured story is that of the " Lights o' London." Its details are filled in to the life—tramps and tho ' "work'us," "perliee" and "dossers" in the Know, street boys and costers with their "barrel's," form appropriate parts of the background to the picture. And the stago on which they move comes so near to tho real life in which they have their being, that it is almost like a slice from the great Babylon of modern days imported toAntipo <Wau soil. Such "sets" an tho scene in Regents I'aiii, and that in which the cluw and capture takes place at tho meeting of four narrow cross-ways, have Hover been placed upon the Now Zealand stago. In fact the completeness of the /nisi-iii-m'tne, the picturesqueiicss and beauty of some of .Messrs. Gordon and llcnnings' paintings, it would bo hard indeed to excel. In truth, it may be said, without hesitation, that a more interesting jjio^e, plural upon tliu stage with equal regard to general grandeur of scenic uii'ect, and at the same time with perfect attention to the smallest detail, has never been presented at the Antipodes. Jin. Sims' work is one in which there is a strong emotional interest excited almost from first to last. The "Lights o'London" may bo said to depend for its success upon the strongly, sharply outlined characters with which it is filled, and for the mixture of sad ness and sensationalism, which are the key notes vibrating underneath the whole action of the play To these, rather than to any wire-drawn, carefully-prepared scenes, over flowing with polished dialogue, and bristling with wit and repartee, must be ascribed the vogue it has everywhere enjoyed. The author very often seems struck with the serious task he has undertaken, and lest the sombre, pitiful story he reveals should toll upon his audience., he skilfully relieves its melancholy, from time to time, by means of

tint comical udvo.nturai, snyiii.'s and <(oin<'s of the good-natured travul'ling -vliowmnnT" mrutiuiic.l above, hi.swife ami son. "Hearts of (.'old" tin- hero duly calls them. They rill in tin' bright lights in what would otherwise prove a rather gloomy picline, ami, In speak truth, their presence on tho scene is always most welcome ami soinctimus a necessity or tlio«tmiii.iff.>ll uw i Mr j|amhlAnnyt« K( r;iHd his pretty wifu through all their 1 rials would be I«O ./real : rui- Lliu sad laic of (heir misfortunes is developed with constant, pain aiid sorrow, through which dartsscarcely one single gleam of joy or ho)io. Tim "low life" forms (|iii(o a distinct element in the play, and though subordinate as far as thu .story goes, it was doubtless in the author's eyes a most important one. There can bu little doubt that thu play was originally conceived for tho purpose of drawing attention to some of tlicdaiUest spots in chequered London life. Therefore the costers, detectives, tramps, casuals, "dossers," and "perlice," and, in fact, all the many ii^ures forming the appropriate setting to his story, were intended by Mr. Sims to bu something more than mere lay figures. And so they are .-is they are acted hen;. They fire true bits of Cockney life, familiar (some of them, unfortunately only too familiar) to thosu who know the people composing the lower strata of society in London. The tramps "doing a doss" on tho (now-covered lo X in Koßuut'ti I'nrk, and tho street Arab, with his raffs and awful eouffh, are as faithful to humanity as rough voices, ungainly forms and appreciative de livery of words that are exact reproductions of their native tongue, can make thorn. Hero at tho Antipodes these characters lose half (heir pathetic significance— meat is too cheap, and the misery of ra^s anil want as yut too rare to allow thu mind to dwell upon anything but the comical side of their ap pearance. But the Author, as we learn from lato cable messages, has clone his work, .fames (ireenwood and many another skilful writer, have drawn pen and ink pictures of low life in London. They, however, have dealt with little but its picturesque and humorous aspect. Mr. Sims Ims fulfilled a far higher mission. We know now that his pathetic plain statements have had their eflet't. A lloi/ut UuuniiMon, u-ilh Ik. Prince of Wale* i hhhxilf at it* hewl, will inquire into'the best j means for housing and reclaiming from j savagery, crime, and starvation the house- ] less destitute thousands of the metropolis. Tho "bitter cry of outcast London " has at length been heard. All honour to him through whom it has reached the high places of thu nation.

FIELD SPORTS AND AQUATICS.

(BY ACTVKON.)

,1. CVivw.VV will pilot the next English professional team through (he colonies.

The boating season is now practically over and several umall craft have already boon hauled up for the winter.

The dingy rare between Masters Sullivan and Bailey "has been arranged to take place on Saturday afternoon next.

I'error has turned out a now thirteen feet boat, carver-built, for Mr Cheek, of Ponsonby.

A race between the sixtcen-feet open bouts Ely and Vie was arranged during the week, to take place only in a good breeze. The stakes aru CM u-Mdu.

The twenty feet-open sailing boat Bay Hoy, owned by.l. Collins, was put into the water for the Hint time this season, on Tuesday last.

Waymouth has commenced a new yacht for Brown, the lixhennmi. The vessel will bo about a Urn larger than Knox's Seagull, and is expected to sail faster.

Can1 and Sons furnished Mr Broad with a mow Mob Hoy canoe on Tuesday last, and are now building another for ■* gentleman recently arrived from the South.

A race between thirteen-fect open boats, which it was expected would be arranged for this week, has fallen through, owing to owners not being sullbiently interested.

The English press are unanimous in in sisting that continuous practice on tlio part of English cricketing teams will be essential to enable them to havo a chance of defeating the Australian Eleven.

Tlio two rowing clubs at Onehunga, en titled respectively the Manukau and One hunga Clubs, possess two boats each, purchased from Auckland Clubs, and intend to malic them suflico for all requirements until next season.

A friendly race between the thirteen-foet sailing boats Ivy and Dot recently took place in the harbour, and finished in an easy will for the former. The Ivy was sailed by Perrot (the builder), and J. Collins had charge of tho Dot.

During the present season Carr and Sons have built about a dozen Rob Roy canoes, and this number added tothetotalturnedout by other builders has considerably extended the licet. The Canoe Clubs' shed now con tains seventeen boats.

At one time during the whaleboat race between the St. George's and I'onsonby juniors, which took place on Saturday after noon last, both crews were rowing at tho rate of thirty eight, strokes a minute. The race was an exciting one, and Ponsonby had to work very hard to secure the victory that they achieved.

Knox, owner of tho yacht Seagull, challenged the Minx to a race round Tiri tiri, but the owner of the latter declined. Surely it would have boon sufficient to give the boats a fair trial in harbour. Tiritiri is too far for such a craft as the Minx, and W. Jones could not be expected to pursue any other course than decline to go so far away from the harbour.

The New Zealand football team (19 men) will leave Wellington for Sydney on tho 'J'Jnd May, returning by the steamer of 17th Juno. This will allow three weeks in Sydney, during which time it is proposed to play six matches, two against New South Wales, and a third if New South Wales wins one match and New Zealand the other ; one against (Queensland (if New South Wales can induce (Queensland to send n team to Sydney at that time); and three other matches against district teams,

Tho Australian Eleven.

Tho following are the batting and bowl ing averages of this team in Australia, compiled by Messrs Boylo and Scott :— nATTim iii^i 111 I Xamc. ! '2 ! 3 ! %'B ■ ? -5 * s? l-s I 3 ; I *< j W. 1.,. Murdoch .. !>; 177 1 279! I 59.5 (J. .1. Hoi:nor .. ..13 1 liiil L' 73 311.1 A. 0. Kannurnian ..11' 2.W 3 81 i 32.2 I. 8. ."UDonnell ..12' :»i 0 111 I 30..1 11. F lioyle .. .. 10! 17ti I II! 29.2 U. Alexander .. .. 11: 171 |.. IB 25.3 W. Midwinter ..11 2«i .. ftS 2U.tu U. (iillVm .. ..! 12 257 .. .W 23.11 11. .1. 11. Scntt.. .. li !« -' ! 3S! 2:t.l .1. niiHiUlmiil .. .. II II!) :i j I-"'I ' 18.5 (i. K. Palmer .. .. !• 100 2 2C i 11.2 W. II Coopur.. ..! !) as ■• !33 I ;i... ISiKnitlos not out. HOWLING. ! . j I "I & I !_ I i \ JSovle ! Sill '< »i 7 ISI US 7.1 Palmer ' 2WO ' Cvii ! 2;">2 SO 7.lti Gill Vii . 1170 in i 113 I-' 10.4 Midwinter .. ..' 11811 ' 331 •■ US 30 H.H Cooper .. ..! !KI i 117 i 72 Xi 13.11 Bonnor .. .. 152 72 ilB 3 21.0 Alexander .. ... 7(i '-'!) I I 1 2».0 Palmer bnwlod 1.1 no-balls and 2\vidog, lionnor and Midwinter 1 wide each.

The English Peasant.

Tiik notion that peasants are joyous, that the typical moment to represent a roan in a smock-frock is when he is cracking _a joko and showing a row of sound teeth, that cottage matrons are usually buxom, and village children necessarily rosy and merry, are prejudices difficult to dislodge from the artistic mind, which looks for its subjects into literature instead of life. The painter is still under the influence of idyllic literature, which has always expressed the imagina tion of the cultivated and townbred rather than the truth of rustic life. Idyllic ploughmen are jocund when they drive their team afield ; idyllic shepherds make bashful love under hawthorn bushes ; idyllic villagers dance in the chequered shade and refresh themselves, not im moderately, with spicy, nut-brown ale. But no ono who has seen much of actual ploughmen thinks them jocund ;no one who is well acquainted with the English peasantry can pronounce them merry. The slow gaze—in which no sense of beauty beams, no humour twinkles—the slow ut terance, and the heavy, slouching walk, re mind ono rather of that melancholy animal, tho camel, than of the sturdy countryman, with striped stockings, red waistcoat, and hat aside, who represents the traditional English peasant. Observe a company of haymakers. When you see them at a dis tance, tossing up the forkfuls of hay in the golden light, while tho waggon creeps slowly with its increasing burthen over the meadow, and the bright green space which tells of work done gets larger and larger, you pronounce the scene "smiling," and you think these companions in labour must be as bright and cheerful as the pictu re to which they give animation. Approach nearer, and you will certainly find that hay making time is a time for joking, especially if there are women among tho labourers; but the course laugh that bursts out every now and then, and expresses the triumphant taunt, is as far as possible from your con ception of idyllic merriment. That delicious effervescence of the mind which we call fun has no equivalent for the northern peasant, except tipsy revelry ; the only realm of fancy and imagination for the English clown exists at the bottom of the third quart pot. The conventional countryman of the stage, who picks up pocket books and never looks into them, and who is too simple even to kni«" that honesty has its opposite, presents the still lingering mistake that an unintelligible dialect is a guarantee for ingenuousness, and that slouching shoulders indicate an upright disposition. It is quite true that a threshor is Hkoly to be

innocent of any adroit arithmetical cheat ing, but he is not the less likely to carry home his master'? corn in his shoes and pocket; a reaper is not given to writing begging letters, but he is "quite capable of cajoling tlio dairymaid into filling his small beer bottle with ale. The selfish in stincts are not subdued by the sight oj buttercups, nor is integrity in the least established by that classic rurul occupation, sheep-washing. To make men moral, something more is requisite than to turn them out to grass.—"Essays and Leaves from a Note Book." By George Eliot.

A True Story of the Streets.

Tiik other morning two gentlemen we.6 looking out of the window of a houMS when they observed a cabbage roll oil' a market waggon that was passing. Instantly over a dozen well-dressed and apparently sane persons began yelling after the waggon, ; B though the vegetable had been a gold watch. The driver stopped, looked back at the cabbage, yawned, and drove on. •■What an absurd fuss people in the street make over trivial occurrences," paid one of the gentlemen. " Now, I'll bet a silk hat I could get a crowd of rive hundred persons around thatcabbnge inside of thirty minutes, and yet not leave this room." " I take the bet," said his friend, pulling out his watch. " Are you ready!" " Yes ; give the word." "It is now 11.30. Go !" The proposer of the wager led his friend to the window, threw up the sash, and taking a cane, pointed earnestly at the mud covered cabbage with a terrified expres sion. Presently a cabdriver noticed the action, and began to stare at the vegetable from thekorbstone, and then abootblack stopped, then a bill-poster, a messenger-boy, and a merchant. "What's the matter?" inquired a Ger man, approaching the innocent base of liia : national dish. j "Don't touch it! Look out there! Stand back |" shouted the gentleman at the window. ) At his horror-stricken tones the crowd fell ■ back precipitately, and formed a dense circle around the innocent cabbage. Hundreds came running up and the excite ment increased rapidly. "Lookout there!" frantically screamed the bettor, waving his cane. "Take that dog away quick !" Several stones were thrown at a cur th&t was sniffing around the cabbage. " Take care !" said a cabdriver to a polict. man, who was shouldering his way tlnough the mass. " It's an infernal machine, nitro glycerine—or something." Meanwhile the pavement was blocked, the street became impassable, women screamed and rushed into the shops, and a shopkeeper began to tie a bucket on the end of a long pole with which to pourwater on the devilish invention. The crowd by this time numbering over a thousand, the two gentlemen moved away from the window and sat down. In a few moments there was a hurried tap at the door, and there appeared a man who had been sent as a delegate from the mass meet ing outside. " I should like to know, gentlemen, what the facts are," he said. "What facts?" "Why, what there is peculiar about that cabbage out there J" "Nothing in the world," was the soft reply, "except that it seems to be sur rounded by about a thousand of the biggest fools in town. Do anything else for you !" The man reflected a moment, said he thought not, and retired.—" Tit Bits."

What Woman has Said in Favour of Man.

PRIZE SELECTION FROM "TIT-BITS."

Is tho love of a brave and faithful man there is always a strain of maternal tender ness; he gives out again those beams of protecting fondness which were shed on him as he lay on his mother's kneo. The vainest woman is never thoroughly conscious of her own beauty till she is loved by the man who sets her own passion vibrating in return. The heart of man turns to one woman out of all the rest he's seen i' the world, and makes it easier for him to work seven years for her, like Jacob did for Rachel, sooner than have any other woman for th' asking. I often think of the words, "And Jacob served seven years for Kachel. and they seemed to him but a few days for the love he had to her." The days of chivalry are not gone, not withstanding Burkes grand dirge over them ; they live still in that far-off worship paid by many a youth and man to the woman whom he never dreams he shall touch so much as her little finger, or the hem of her robe. —George Eliot (Mrs Cross). As a rule men are truer friends than women—more capable of friendship.—Miss Thackeray. Man in his majesty, his beauty, in hi* every movement, his exquisitely formed frame, his complicated economy of being, is more impressive—more startling— evidence of tho might, the wisdom, the benevolence of his glorious Maker, than even the source of the river, the structure of the (lower, the growth of the tree. Man proceeding from, destined for— immortality -the beloved, the peculiar care and treasure of the Eternal—man, beautiful man ! —Grace Aouilar. Grand, true man ! Man, before whom (a) woman's heart instinctively bows down in Eve-like submission, murmuring, " I hove found thee, my greater self—my head, my sustainer, and my guide/ The man of genius stands forth as tho high priest of divinity itself, before whom itbefitshimtoofferup, net only the first fruit of his intellect, but the continued Bweet savour of a life, high and pure The eloquent upholder of virtue, the scorner of vice, the earnest —the noble— man ! —Dinah Maria Mclock. Tis man's pride. His lushest, worthiest, noblest boast, Tho privilege he prizes most To stand by helpless woman's side. —Miss Holford, Man has a wonderful power of conceiving things. The grandest philanthropic experiments which have hitherto proved undoubtedly successful have been the work of men. Man is made for sympathy. It is the deepest want and the highest privilege of his nature ; a want by which . . . he never ceases to be stimulated; a privilege of which ... he can never be wholly divested. —Harriet Martinkab. Persuasion nits on his tongue, and love, almighty love, triumnhant in his eyes ! His wit. like an essence bottle, is a col lection of all that is poignant in a thou sand flowers. Intrepid spirit, nice honour, generosity, and understanding, all unite to form him. —Mrs Cowlev. I have often fancied that there must be a man born in the world for every woman ; one whom to see would be to love, to rever ence, to adore ; one with whom her sympa thies would so entirely blend that she would recognise him at once as her true lord.— Mrs Crowe. He (is) an angel upon earth—kind, jrentle, affable, and affectionate. —Maria Thkre.se Kemhle. Roftorthan the April sli'wirs; White handed innocence snoporta his throne; His ainhs are sweet as breath of earliest flowers, Affection guides his steps, and peace protects his bowers.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1884,

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