RANDOM SHOTS.

■■{By Eajhel.]

: V florae write, n neighbour's Tinmo to Insh, Somo write—vain thought I—for needful cash, Some write to ploaso tho country clash. And rniso a din. For nw, an aim I never fash— I writo for tun.

That wonderful discovery made by Mr Caldwell—to wit, that tho lowest Austra lian mammals aro oviparous, and that their ovum is mcroblastic, or in other words, that they lay eggs liko ducks—which brought finch joy to the bosoms of British savans, has also set our local scientists agjg. Not only has "granny" expounded and ex plained tho bearing of the discovery on tho Darwinian doctrine, but Professor Thomas lias been enlightening- or " professing " to *nlighten—tho members of the Institute •on tho subject. And our local dabblers in Darwinianism appear just as overjoyed as tho members of the British Association wcro at tho inspiring thought that they have traced their gcue;ilo£y unmistak ably to tho ruptilo family. According to a certain venerated Book, thore was ono old gentleman closely allied to the serpent tribe, and who has managed to leave his elimy trail over all this otherwise smiling earth of ours; and "Zainicl" cannot help thinking it is a bad sign when folks are enraptured with the idea of establishing a family connection with that inslnua- ■■ ting crcaturo which U " more subtile than all tho beasts of the field." As Lord Bea consfield put it, in his opigramatic fashion, "The question is whether man is an ape or an angel. As for me, 1 am on tho side of the angels !" Does not tho reader shudder ■with horror at the bare thought that his respected parent of a distant ago was a monotrematous, oviparous, maminiferous, duck-billed, web-footed, hairy creature, hatched from a meroblastic ovum? Tho vory idea has given me fits, and while in that state I produced tho following imitation of Professor Thomas's "KEMARKS ON MR CALD WELL'S DIS COVERY. The platypus, the platypus, Tho aoeply-intorosting cuss. Has given to men Of brain and pen A lot of matter to discuss. Ornithorhyncus, duck-billed bruto Is stranger than a bandicoot!

Oh, platypus, queer platypus, Oviparous, mammiferous cubs, Connecting link, as somo folks think, Between tho serpent tribe aiid us I Half-way up Evolution's hill. likedebt-oolleotor with his birtl

Oh, platypus, blest platypus,| Furred like an Arctic dwelling Russ, Or TAomas-cat, with feet so flat,

How aro you, monotrematous? How have you meroblastic eggs, You reptile, stuck on four good legs i

Say, platypus—denr platypus I— How near are you aUied to us ? Our next-of-kin, the monkeys, grin And talk of kicking up a f übs At finding you have " lumped thoirclaim" And robbed them of their well-earned fame,

You platypna—droll platypus !— I give you up, younaughty cuss! 'Tis quite too bad, o!d yrcat-jfrand-dad, To rise and make such f oola of us I You and ochidna, with your oggs.

Will set old Darwin on hi 3 legs!

The P.ev. Mr Tebbs has been getting ■quite an insight into human nature through the medium of a gold brooch. That article was left with him by a lady, with a state ment that she had picked it up in Pitt street, and that, failing the discovery of the owner, she wished it to be sold and the proceeds handed to some charity. The rev. gentleman with a light heart accepted the trust, and got the Star to insert a para graph on tho treasure trove. The result, as "Zamiel" has learned from an aerial survey, has been to sadden tho heart of the incumbent of St. Matthew's, if it has also tended to make him wiser. The number of Eersons who lost brooches in Pitt-street as proved enormous ; for a week past the rectory in Wellesley-s! reet has been besieged by callers after that missing trinket, and the strange thing is that none of them can give Buch a description aa would prove their ownership. Judging by appearances, there must at a recent date have been a perfect shower of gold brooches in the vicinity of Pitt-street, and it is a sad commentary on the dishonest tendencies of human nature that only one of these should have been advertised ! For of course no one would imagine for a moment that there were any bogus claimants among the crowd, anxious to gain a few shillings by robbing some deserving institution. Perish the thought! But, all the same, it is rather curioud that there should be such a facility in losing gold brooches, and such a difficulty in finding them.

Hast ever been in the hands of the dentist, gentle reader? If so, you may know, like me, how aggravating it is to have that mild-mannered gentlemen draw out your sound tooth in mistake for the raging one. " What's done can't be un done," but those who may have to submit themselves to dental surgery in tho future may take heart of grace and rest in the assurance that the law will protect them. Here is a "learned precedent" which I commend to all judges. At Kttngtora, Canterbury, a few days ago, Dr. Sinclair, a peripatetic dentist who visited Auckland come months ago, sued a Mr Boyd for £14 148 for extracting teeth from de fendant's wife and supplying her with a false set. Mr Boyd made a, counter-claim for £22 against the enthusiastic dentist for having removed three of Mrs B. 's teeth with out authority. Mark the result—Verdict for Boyd, with costs! Thoae gentlemen who are so enthusiastic in the pursuit of dental surgery that they pull out sound teeth.only to have the pleasure of supplying a false set complete, are requested to note the decision of this "Daniel come to judg ment." The old excuse will no longer do— •' Very sorry, but it's a pure mistake; we'll get out the right one now !" If tho enter prising dentist has to pay £5 or so for every tooth ne draws out by mistake, he will take more pains to perform his "painless dentistry," lest haply he should gave to suffer thef" tooth-drawing " process in tho metaphorical sense.

There is a new danger ahead for afflicted humanity. Iron bedsteads, it ap pears, are liable to attract electricity, and that asylum of refuge—Blanket Bay—to which bo many nervous people fled at the approach of a thunderstorm, is converted into a real and aggravated terror. At Birmingham lately a boy named Frank Lewis was lying on an iron bed during a storm, and after a bright flash of light ning he fell back insensible —having received a shook from the electric fluid. The poor lad never rallied, and a post mortem exam ination showed that the lightning attracted by the iron bedstead had struck him, and swept along the left eide of his body to the head, causing concussion of tho brain. At the coroner's inquest, it was stated by the doctor that all iron bedsteads were unsafe unless they wero " properly painted." This raises the difficult qrestion, " When is an iron bedstead properly painted?"and failing the indication of the lightning-proof paint, tho public may naturally be alarmed at the discovery of the daily danger to which they are exposed. But " Every dark cloud has a silver lining," and a gloam of electric licht sheds a beneficent beam on that un fortunate' iron bedstead. Another news paper pnragraph gives particulars of a curious case which occured at Damascus, in Pennsylvania. A merchant named Con doback, who had been lying helplessly para lytiod for thrco months, was cured in an in sl ant by a stroke of lightning. He was hur led across the room by the shock,and imme diately rose with his limbs strongand flexible. The paragraph dees not state, but of course ho must have been lying on an iron bed stead at the time ; arid all paralytics should invest in one without delay. What a boon ono would liavo proved to that poor man •who blew himself up with gunpowder the other day at Norlhcoto because one of liis arms was paralysed ! If ho had only got an iron bedstead "improperly painted,' ornot painted at all, and waited for a thunder storm, he would have got. " hurled across tho room" just as effectually as by gun powder, and with curative instead of de structive effect. It is clear that tho iron bedstead has hitherto been only partially understood, and it offers a most promising field for scientific research.

Circus jokea arc goins; the rounds. Whether or not they should ever be found under the heading of "Random Shots," of course must depend on their quality. Usually they do not partake of a character including any wonderful amount of clever ness or originality, but of course, upon rare occasions, I have hac1 a liearty laugh at the antics and sayings of the time-honoured jester of the hippodrome. To the credit of Holloway (Chiarini'a clown), I record the following "wheeze." which, I may remark, has the merit of not being time-honoured, and, as the critics have it, " brought down

the houie hlghtly" i—Suddenly running out of the ring, Holloway struggled through a packed pit and deposited his comical figure alongside of one of the gentler sex, all the time grinning most amusingly. Tho audience naturally wondered what w&s to como next, and waited in patient expecta tion for "something good." The ring master's voico was soon heard calling "Holloway, como back here," and Hol loway responded, " Oh, thank you sir, I am quite comfortable where I am.' The audioncc giggled, and theiv merriment increased when tho ring - master added, " Holloway, como down and I'll give you half-a-crown." And then the audience wondered if the clown's sens'? cf comfort would bo overcome by the power of filthy lucre, r.nd their wonder was converted into a regular Voar when tho jester quiotly re -10111071, "No, sir, it's not good enough; thero is a lady up horo offers me half-n ---crown to stay where I am."

Talking about circuits reminds me of a trick that wiS once played on a popular circur. proprietor well-known in the city. 15c is not exactly what ono could call an educated person, but, despite his want of refinement, ho is a good, ho«esl soul. With utter contempt of t'.Ve letter " h," he gets through tlr? World vory comfortably. Well X> fts I will call my circus friend, 'determined to give his somewhat modest show a high-sounding namo—" No thing like a good monniker to draw tho mopusscs," as X. remarked to a broken down Oxford man to whom he stated his desire over two pint?. *l Hippodrome " is played out ', " Equisquirieulum " is a hard word to remember, and it would bo rough on a bloke if ho forgot tho name of his own show. " (iivo us summat high-sounding, long, but yet easy to remember, and I'll pay a bob a letter for it." There was a merry twinkle in the eyo of the shabby-looking 'Varsity man as ho said, "Well, Mr X., Ivc just got the word for you. Call your show ' Tho Great Hippomo'ne Circus".'" And he did. Some months afterwards ho found that "Hippomono" was the Greek equivalent for " Ono horse," and he swears when he catches that gentleman from Oxford that he'll have his gore—"a one-horso show, in deed I We'll sco about that."

I have beon much entertained during tho past week, if not actually ediCed, by the perusal of a longthy epistle from a young man well-known in Auckland, who has for several years past been gaining cx poriefic'c aVtd seeing lifo on the Australian mainland. Ho has travelled about from colony to colony along with a com panion of similar tastes, and tho adven tures of tho twain at onco recal to mind Rodarick Random and his fidus Achates, Strap, the apprentice. Although possessed of little of that filthy lucre which tho saintly rich affect to despise, and obliged to take things as they found them, they appear to have laid in a wonderful stock of good spirits, and to have pulled through very successfully. They triod their hands at anything honest which turned up, from shaving to organ-playing and proof reading, and as this unbounded confidence in their own qualifications for each and every situation that offered was not always justified by subsequent performance, some remarkable contretemps were the result.

Tho following is an animated description of how ono of the erratic pair tried his 'prentice hand at the tonsorial art in Syd ney. " Snooks " got a billet the same day in a barber's shopf as an assistant. His knowledge of the business was con lined to the experience he had gained through hav ing occasionally had his hair cut in a hair-dressing establishment which his father ran in Portsmouth, but he said ho guessed he would worry along all right if ho had no shaving to do. Ho went down to the shop, and rolled up his sleeves in the orthodox manner. A cus tomer came in who wanted his hair cut, and Snooks had to perform He started boldly to work, anJ I supposo very much to his own astonishment, satisfied both the customer and tho boss.

Half an hour or so later a bushman with a stubbly black beard a week old camo in for a shave, and the boss turned him over to Snooks, and went out into the back shop. My unfortunate mate commenced the lirst operation of putting on the lather with some qualms of conscience, and got through it without doing any considerable damage to the "patient." But when ho got hold of the razor and tried to whet it on the strop, his feelings wore almost too much for him. He could not help thinking that the life of a human being had been foolishly entrusted to his care, and Eligeno Aram's signifi cant words about tho fate of those who " spill life's sacred stream" flashed across his mind. However, as he after wards told me, he nerved himself to the task with the thought, " Well, it's tho bushman's trouble. I've got to make a living, and I'm going to. If I run the knife into him I'll say he shifted his head, and beg his pardon."

Snooks started work in fear and trembling. Ho got along pretty well at first, antli going down the side of his face, tore the hair out of his subject with exult ant glee. Unexpected success emboldened him, and ho buckled to the work as if ho were trying to beat the best shaving "record " yet noted. His pace increased as he got down to the " cape," which ter minated the bushman's jaw, and he turned the corner at top speed. But the Nemesis which hangs round every one to prevent too great a Success was dogging him, and just as Snooks made a sweeping tear, the aforesaid Nemesis canted the "knife," and the "pa tient" sustained a ghastly wound in unplea -Bantproximitytohiscarotidartery. Heyelled like a fiend, and Snooks turned almost sick at first, but recovering, ho begged the suf ferer to be still, and assured him of the terrible danger he incurred if he would per sist in moving about while seated in a barber's chair. Pacified at last, the wounded man fat down again, and the ante mortem continued. Tho sight of blood made Snooks more nervous, and before he got round the chin he let the razor into the "subject" again to the extent of about half an inch. Just thf n the boss came back, and as he entered tho room he politely inquired, "How is the razor going?" "Oh!" groaned the now resigned bushman, "it's going b well. If I get out of this place with my head on my shoulders, I shall consider myself a for tunate man." The boss camo round, and perhaps you can imagine his horror when he found his assistant with blood imbrued hands, trying to staunch the wouuds the unfortunate bushman had re ceived in the encounter. Snooks's engage ment terminated within about two min utes of that period. "Ah nno disce omncs."

Committed suicide "while in a stato of temporary insanity." Such was the verdict of the coroner's jury on tho body of Davidson, who endeavoured to blow himself up with powder at Northcote. Butter worth, one of tho witnesses at tho in quest, who saw the deceased immediately after the occurrence, svvoro that he spoke quite rationally, rogrotted that his attempt had not succeeded, and wished to try again. This witness did not believe he was insane. Dr. Bond spoke to him later on, and also failed to detect any symptoms of insanity ; but the jury clutched at the sug gestion charitably thrown out by tho widow that tho deceased had not been in a cane state of mind for the last four years, and returned the time-honoured verdict. Tho device adopted by this man for putting himself out of existence may appear eccen tric, but when a man has resolved to take away his own lifo, he begins, ono may sup pose, to epeeulatc on tho methods likely to bu speedy and sure. Pistol wounds often fail; drowning is a protracted death, and a man adopting it may be pulled out; tho idea of blowing oneself up with gunpowder would appear to have the recommendation of novelty, suddenness, and certainty. This man, his widow stated, was " a Free thinker "—a rather loose definition of creed, but probably meaning in the present in stance a disbeliever in a God or a future str.te. To an individual so minded, and afflicted with an incurable malady that robbed life of all pleasure, what action more sane than suicide? But how true to the natural instincts of the human heart wag the double invocation of Cod's blessing on his family, contained in the letter of eight lines written on the ovo of his desperate plunge into the mysteries of the unseen— from which the mind shrinks back affrighted and listens to the whisperings of the quickened soul—

There are more things in heaven and earth Than are dreamt of in your philosophy,

Thia inclination to palliate suicide with tlie verdict of "temporary insanity" is a better proof of the charity of average men ] than of their courage in facing unpleasant I truths. It is, besides, a relic of the law ! and public opinion in an age when wilful j suicide was visited with legal and ecclesia-.- ! tical penalties peculiarly painful to the i surviving relatives. Mr Justice Gillies's dictum that suicide is an act which concerns no one but the principal, although an opinion distinctly at variance with the

statute law Of the country, ought to remove one cause of compunction among jurymen in declaring their true conviction* upon the evidence when trying these casos. In one sense every wrong and foolish act is the o<F spring of an unsound etate of mind ; but that men may attempt to destroy their own lives in what is commonly regarded as a porfeetly sane mental condition, I have reason to know. In conversation with a man who had made such an attempt and failed, I was assured that he was no more insane when ho committed tho act intended to settle liia worldly acednhts than ilt ai)y other period of his lifts before or sinee1, He had for scvdnVl days carefully considered the Question of suicide as a solution of his besotting dilllcultics, and had decided that the balance was iv its favour. If ho had succeeded, no doubt wo should have had an other verdict of temporary ineanily. Ono felo-rit'-se at Timaru or Oamaru—l forget which — Actually left a record of tho rate of 'u!i pulse, and in tho spirit of bravado that had marked his espousal of materialistic opinions during lifo, protested against being declared temporarily insane. But tho jury stuck to the traditions of "crowners' 'qnests;1' and nonsensical as tho verdict was, 1 confers I felt mean enough to chncklo over the defeat of the poor wretch's wish that his miserablo death should convey an infamous moral to men of his kidnoy, whoso self-bound souls cannot understand the philosophy which teaches that

When all (he blunilisuinonta of life aro gone

The cowuril encuks to death, the bravo livo on.

The business of "professional lovor"-

Yankee notion of course-opens np a brilliant career for that hitherto useless ox ciesccnco on society, " tho masher." When any girl shows a too pronounced fondnoss for her music-teacher or her father's footman, or is casting " shcep's-cyes " upon some penniless but ambitious suitor, the services of tho professional lover arc called in. With good looks, a "killing" address, and expertnees in all the wilos by which simpio female hearts aro beguiled, and being af forded favourable opportunities to advance a rival suit, it becomes his business to win tho orring daughter from her unwi.s>; passion ; and when sho is perfectly weaned, to read her a solemn lesson on tho awful consequences of misalliance, and restore- her in a sound condition of mind to her grate ful parents. Thero is just the risk that tho " professional," haTing won tho affections of some particularly fina prize, might complete tho businoss at tho matrimonial altar, and taunt tho parents with conniving at tho woo ing ; but a professional lovor of good parts, resolved to keep strictly to business, would fill a nicho in our social institu tions and load a decidedly pleasant life. He might combino with his lighter calling that of matrimonial agent. After tho pranks played by somo practical-joking girls, as recorded in tho Stab, tho other day, the need of a third party to eavo tho matter-of-fact lovor from persecution is evi dent. A good-looking follow, able to covor up the defects of a bashful and indifferently favoured wooer, would be an immense boon, lip could do tho courting by proxy, and help in n variety of very delightful and useful ways. An Auckland agont tells me that he has in his timo made 106 couples happy or miserable for life, or until the Divorce Court doth them part, and ho give* it as his very private opinion after long ex perienco tint unions arranged in this way have just as good chances of being happy ones as match-making on more- orthodox (but not less business) lines—it is a dip into a lottery anyhow.

Tlio number of unhappy marriages which ungenial circumstances aro continually bringing to light within the shadowy walk* of the Police Court incline the listening bachelor to the belief that, of all conditions of life, ranrrioge is the most miserable. Al most every day, a pale- young wife may be seen suing for a protection order to enable her to live unmolested by her earning!), or seeking the means' of a partial livelihood for hergolf and bairns, from the hands of an 'unwilling, harsh spouse ; or it may bo im ploring piteously nt. the elbow of Mr Cunningham for a summons againet hor lawful but chilly-hearted lord for n brutal assault committed while under the influence of drink, upon her trembling framo. In some cases the old adago, " six o' one and lialf-n-dozen o' the other," may seem to lit. Indifferent homos make careless husbands, but unless the bread-winner thinks kindly of home before tho hotel, it is impossible for comparatively helpless wives to make com iortablo homes. Where huubands me negligent in tho performance of natural duties, wives almost naturally turn to " ray uncle" to save appearances. Thtso case^ do not often appear in the newspaper re ports, as they are generally heard separately from ordinary criminal cases ; and it is well that tho public is in the dark in rot pec t of these numerous domestic jars. Let any curious person take a peop along tho passage leading to the Police Court at midday, and he will be surprised perhaps to see some half-dozen careworn women waiting until tho general business is over, in order to pour their streams of domestic sorrow into tho sympathising ears of Mr Cunningham, who not infrequently soothes his patience with the exclamation

in bass,

Oil, bother these women. I wish they would go, They worry mo so—they worry mo 60.

It does seem a pity that legislators who descant learnedly on nice questions of con stitutional law, who profess to solve tho drink problem, and who are the great lights of tho education question, canno: find a way to make unwilling husbands and fathers support their own wivos and children. But governments cannot chango human naturo and cure drunkenness. Real personal reform must begin at homo, and every member of the community i» respon sible for the duo performance of the first of all social duties.

Those seafaring excursions, to which our representatives at Wellington havo been treating themselves, have aromed the envy of some folks, and tho "bilo" of others. The Rev. Mr Reid has denounced tho national wickedness of sailing on a Sun day, and hurled a Jeremiad at all New Zealand, and its legislators in particular, for allowing this enormity. In turn tho Wellington newspapers have launched their thunderbolts at Mr Reid, but after all tho hubbub,

" What gives r'se To no little surprise. Nobody seems a ponny the worse."

As for "Zamiel," he takes a philosophic survey of the wholo situation in amused and contemplative vein, wondering how it is that real legislators are so anxious to leave their work for play, while our Auck land youths and old men, with every chance to go on marine picnics, aro simply burning to get. in their hands at mock legislation. A budding local poet has burst forth into song on the subject of our patriotic M. H. R. '8, and from his effusion I cull the following gems, with which I take leave of tho subject:—

TJic patriots down in Parlymint Arc having jolly limes ; They're o.Noursionirjft'and feasting, And visiting other climeu. Chorus—Oh! oh! it'ujolly, oh! To he an M.H.K.: All care is sone, the wine doth flow, And we do the lah-dolth.

Sonic members "urnvo, who'd die to suve '1 heir country from all harm, Will have double hoiHuaritiiiiß— Delightful, soothing balm ! Ciiortrs—Oli! oh ! it's paying oh! To bo an M.H.H.; Th- rockets filled, the heart mado glad, There's the life of a rolling tar.

Of course, Hie public purso is bU, The public wit. is sninll; And 60 you.join the whirligig, And ltt tho country fall. Chorus—Oh ! oh! the picnics, oh ! Arc ended (a good jobl; Some members have the " tip" to go From the aggravated mob.

A Right Smart Bull Pup.

Two dog fanciers were discussing the re spective merits of their brutes, when one of thorn said : " Bull pups is no good; yor can't learn 'em nuthin'." '"Taint so. I'vo got a bull pup that'll fetch 'an carry anything. Wy, I've got 'im so he'll carry oil' a chunk uv raw beef an' bring it back agin." " Botcher ho won't." " Done, an' here's a dolyer as backs my florg." The money was put up, the dog was called, and the meat given him. " Now, Tige," said the owner, "take it outdoors, that's a good doggy, a>i' when I calls yer come in agin, an' show this gentle man wot yer can do." The dog Mont out with the meat in his mouth, and presently his owner called, " Tige, Tige; hero, Tigs," and he camo back wagging his tail and Hckling bis chops. " Gimme them stakes !" shouted the

Other fellow; "I tole yer yer couldn't learn a bull pup nuthin.' He hain't brung it back." "Go slow, mister. I reckon I'll take them case 3 myself. I didn't say how the pup'd fetch that meat back, did I ?" "No ; but yer see he hain't brung it." "He hez, too, an' it's on the inside uv him, in course. Yer didn't think the dang pup hadn't sense enough to clamp on to a gxd thing when he got a chance, did yer? Bull pups is smart, I'm a tellin' yer."

SPORTING.

PRINCIPAL RAGING FIXTURES.

Now Zealand. Hawko's Bay J.C. Spring October 0,7 Pukiiranga Hunt Club HWeplecliusc Meet in.f October 2o Tiranaki J.C. Spring October 28 WuiiKutiiil J.C. .Spring Nov. 2 Canterbury .T.C. Meiropolitan..,.Nov. 11. Vi, 11) Auckland IIC Spring Nov. II OnelillDKil RiOi Sprili:-,' .:........., KoVeinbi-1' 'I'}. Takuptllia JO. PpriUMr : Vovi 2."i Welliiißton ti.C. .Spring Nov. 2'S, 2'J JHb. ■ihi. I.e. Spriiig.,...... ;... K(i,V. 2l). Ueb. 1 Cambridge Spring Aloetln^. oeceniber a Australia. V.A.T.O. (Caullield) Meeting..October 11 and is V.11.C. Spring November 1, 1, 0, 8

Dates of Nomination, Entries and Accep tances.

General entries and (iece;t,:inces for I'akumnga Hunt Cup uncl Members' llm-dle Itnco Oct. 10 Rcneral eniries and acceptance's A.lt C. Spring Iliiudi.-upuml lhinllcs .. .. Nov. 7

To Correspondents.

C.F.C.—Caplnin McUouan trolled twentymllus in uSiulfi. i'jjcc. tit Huston, Aluas., on October 31, ISMJ.

Q.—Vanjjuarcl ntaitcd eight timrn lnst season, out of wliiuh lvi won t.hrco. Koii'-woiter won two metß out of tho tea ho started for. INQI'IKKII-—l. Derriit lins ridden two C.J.C. Derby «inner*, and Walt ie one. 2. 11. Hay lias ridden tho winner on six occasions. Waokh,—The Melbuurno Cup was lirst insti tulcd in ISril. when 17 horses started. Mr Do Mu-tre's Archer won, and ho also KOt home tirbt in the year following. O.K. (WliaHgaroi).—Grand Flaneur won but one rare us a two-yciir-old. viz., Iho Normanhy Stakes, run at the Summer Meeting oi the Victoria lUciiiK Cluu. Ponsomiy —When a race ends in <i dead licit, bits urn put together and divided. For ox ample, if you luok £5 to £1 about one of the. lior.-PS, ihi £5 and tlio £1 would be put to- Kelhor, and ynu would receive l.'i, conse quently YOU would win £2.

NOTES BY HIITONA. Nkxt Monday and Tuesday aro th? days set down for tho Hawkc's Bay Jockoy Club Spring Meeting, and judging by the satis factory acceptances and entries thai- have Loon received for tho several event? I see no reason why our neighbours should not lm\ a two days'good sport. Tho following »ra tho nameß of thoßO who have accepted for tho two lending ovents :—

Si'iiixullAMJlCAPof 200BOVS. Distance, lijnili.. .•it lb alb Lccnnta .. .. !l 0 Pearl .. .. 7 (i Finir lloy.. ..8 9 Fororunner ..7 3 Administrator .. SO Tii;redia .. ..7 1 Armourer .. 7 11 Marksman .. 6 12 Tally-ho .. ..7 8 Abraham.. ..6 8 Ijaurol ~ ..7 7 Yftukc* .. ..8 7

liayard

HiNDICAl1 lICKDLK RACE Of 7530V8. T\VO Ulilcs. 81 lb it lb Jlinuot .. ..10 12 Flying Scud .. » 7 Pastime .. .. 10 0 Denbigh .. .. » 1 Wild Dayrell .. 0 U Notioe of Motion 1) 0 Blackbird.. .. 9 10 Stcelduat.. ..9 0 Without going into tho " why and whore foro," I tliink that whatever beats AuMlK istkator in Uio Spring Handicap will win. He arrived at Napier in tho early part of the week, and ho is to luito tho eervicos of Wattio, who left hero by tho b.b, Taniwera on Thursday. For tho Hurdlos, nothing reads bottor than tho Auckland representa tive Minuet.

From a friend of inino In Christchuroh I learn that Mr V. Butlor'e colt FusiMer is doing good work, but ho lina grown very "leggy." Tho C.J.C. Derby candidate Water King has shown signs of not stand ing his preparation, and Sou'-wcetor ban been slightly amiss, but he mill occupioi tho posi'ion of lust favourite for tho New Zea land Cup. MrO. G. Stead's colt Cailton (full brother to Nonsense) hus improved greatly, and is one of tho finest-looking threo-year olds in trnininj;. but from alt accounts ho hns a temper. Tho Cup hor»c« doing tho beat work at Hiccarton aro Nelson, Tim Wliilllor, July, and lko. Krupp and >ic<'klnco nrrlvod wifely at Chriatchurcli on Tuesday morning last. Tho pair had a fair passage down. There has boon a fair amount of wagering on tho I'akuranga Hunt Club Meeting this week, but only in small lines. For tho double, Hunt Cup and Members' Hunllo Rnco, 100 to 10 is offered on tho Hold. The following aro the prices for tho Hunt Cup :— 1 to 1 ngainatQuilii otol — Mr Gurnet S to I — Kly C to 1 — Hunray Gtol — Chief i* in (Jtol — -led water 7t« I — Unix I'oa 10 to 1 — tho otliord.

Tho New Zealand Stud Company c.in lay cliiiui to owning a full sister to Necklacel, her dam Loe'.et liuvint! dropped n brown filly to Musket this week. Realisation (iliim of Wapiti) has produced a brown colt to Musket, Lyre n chestnut colt to Antnros, and Moonlight a nhcfitnut (illy to tiie sanio sire.

Tho Molbourno Cup " scratching season " is. setting in, for this week wo It am by cable that Phil Athol, Flcurette, and tho New Zealand pair, Wolcomo Jack and Eskatos, have been struck out. The with drawal of tho Hon. .1. White's representa tive will set many backers woeping, for not a tew thought he was the dark 'un of tho stable.

Mr W. Walters informs me that Slandor is not in foal this year, and she is now at Sylvia Park on a visit to Musket. I hava often wondered why Izaac Walton nuvor had another chance with Slander after tho pair produced such a good one as Billingsgate, and when mentioning tho matter to Mr Walters ho informed mo had ho known tome weeks back that Iz;iac would have again been in our midst, ho should certainly hn\'o got another chanco with his old love. It may bo mentioned, however, (lint tho I'apakura breeder has had no cause tv regret putting Slander to Musket, as Mr Robert son's two-year-old out of tho pair in stated to bo tho makings of a great colt,and if all goes well with him, ho may surpass tho deeds of his famous half-brother. Mr VValters's maro Yattorina is also at Sylvia Park on a vieit to Musket.

According to a cnblogrnm received in tho early part of the week, Bargo still retains tho position of favourite for the V.lt.C. Derby at 6 to 4 ; his stablo companion Tremando, standing at 7to 1. For tho Cup, Martini-Henry has advanced to 20 to 1, but the best price obtainable about him from the local peneillors is 10 to 1. This is owing to the largo amount of support that has beon accorded to the son of Musket horo during the last couple of week?. It nas been decided to give Martini- Henry's full sister Woodnymph another trial, and she has been put in training aeain. She is under the care of Goorge Wright. Mystery,who created the surprise at the last Takapuna Autumn Meeting, ia to be brought down from the Northern Wairoa to-day for tho purpose of being pie pared for forthcoming events. Pell is to have charge of her.

The only notable alterations in the Christ church betting market has been the ad vance of Liverpool for the Derby. A good deal of money has been laid out in his favour at 5 to 1, one metallician accepting a couple of hundred at that price on behalf of the owner of Ike, and ho is now a better favourite than Trenton. Consequent on the form he displayed at. Dunedin, Captain Webster has come in for some attention for the New Zealand Cup, and 100 to 8 ia now the best offer about him.

The Victoria Amateur Turf Club Meeting commences at C'aulticld on Saturday next, but the Cup will not be run off till the 18th. On Saturday, the leading event set down for decision is tho Guineas, one mile, for which the following have made the final payment:—

Mr J. Mitchell's br f Rebus, by Glorious—Acros tic

Mr J. Whittineham'3 oh c Merrimu, by Argus Scan''ul—Chifibnitioru Jlr M. Jacob's br c Uufus, by King of the Ring —Princess Alice Mr W. Branch's b c Silver King, by First King —Scnorita Mr G. Davls's b c David, by The Gondolier- Alice Draw Mr lt.Alfro'l's borbr f Ch!oo,by MaribyrnonK— Housemaid Mr P. T. Heywood'a b c Lcporello, by Don Gio vanni—Affectation MrW. Gordon's oh f Sandal, by Winteriake— Instep Mr R. Love's br f Hclene.by Countryman—Tin flndcr Mr 11. Tothili's brf Gratitude, by Countryman —Serenity Hon. J. White's b c Tremando, by 'Poster - Agitation Mi1.1.11. Crowcll's borbr c Sirocco,by I'lccator— Zephyr Mr K. do Mcstrc's br c Pilot, by Robinson (.'rucoe—(.'nicker Mr K. Week's br c Bohemian, by Jlaiibyrnong— Xinn

Mi- A. F. Smart's I) c Cairngorm, by jtfarlbyr nonp-Amethyst Mr W. Forrester's eh c Wtctallnbah. by The Drummer—Hruncite.

Hermit's half-sister Steppe, who pro duced tho "July" foal to Anteros, has been served by Musket this year. During the week, a local backer accepted 400 to 17 about Ugly Buck for the Christ church Derby.

Messrs Mason and Roberts are to bavo ■ the working of all the totalizators on the ' Forbury course during this season, the ! Dunedin Jockey Club having decided to pur- | chaso machines constructed on the game principle as used by them, under their J management. MrD. O'Biien's new purchase Bordermmi made his debut over the " little sticks " at tlio recent Cliristcliuich Plumptcu Park i Meeting, but he was run off at the first ' fence by Bordeaux, and was not afterwards peivevered with. Mr J. Elliott left for VYanganui in tho early part of the week with Izaac Walton, being unable to find a purchaser for him here. 1

At the Christohurflh Plumpton Park Mooting theother week,Mr IT. Westirmoott'a unnamed colt by Musket from Wuiitt, was successful in gotting home in front in' tho Two-Year-Old Flutter. His op ponents wero Mr P. Butler's colt The Shah, by. .St. George-Red Roso, and Mr Bates' filly" Nemesis, by St. George—Fleuiungo. "Senex" in referring to the win, says: — Tho Shah and Nemesis appeared to have a pull in condition over the Wai-i-ti colt, and although tho latter \vn« known to bo filst, ho was nob expockd to last tho dis tatteii. Me; however, Made a holy f how of his opponents, winning with plenty in hand. Tlio winner is a useful-looking, if not a very handsome, coU,; rather common it may be in front, but with lsngtny mid powerful quarters. Ho was certainly backward in condition, and this makes bis future career look all tho more rosy. '1 ho youngster I notice is engaged in tlio Welcome Stakes, which is lo bo decided at the forthcoming C.J.C. Meeting.

Among the horses that toed tho mark at Uio roeuifc A..).(!. Spring Meeting (writes '•Warrior") I liked nothing better than tho three - year - olds — Jlargo, Tempo, Manrico, Kspieglc, Reginald, Tremando, Cairngorm, and Lord Exeter. Oil' Colour and Little Sisfer were not in the best of form, and Hustings should piMvo himself a grand lior-u in cither the Caullield or Mel bourno Oil p.

"Beacon" says Mr W. Sounos/s La Bohcnuiennc has dropped twin foals to Lo Lou p. Tho youngsters, a colt and (illy, arc both strong find healthy.

At B.dlyhauuis racecourse (Ballyhaunis is in county Mayo) recently, a circumstance almost phenomenal in racing and chasing nnnals occurred in a marc and her cjlt each winning races at the samo meeting. The marc whs Dame Durden, tho colt d'ichton, and they are tho property of Captain Boycott, the original Boyeotk'o. Writes tho English correspondent of tho Melboin-no " Loader" :—"Jack Hammond, of St. (jaticn and Florence celebrity, is what turlitos call a clever man, but cleverness on tho turf would, perhaps, receive a inurli stronger epithet in other walks of life. Hero is a little episode, of which ho wns tho hero, and which took place on tho conclud ing day at tho recent .Newmarket Meeting. Mr Barnard, of Barnard's stand, at Epsom, had a horso training in tho same stablo (Sherwood's) as that patronised by Ham mond. This horso, (Joldstono by namo, whethor by direct trial orotlierwi.se WO can not say, .Tack got to know was a clinker, and with tho eloquence of which lie is master porsuaded tho owner to enter it in a selling raco on tho concluding day. Said friend .Tack, ' Your horso is sure to win ; tho public know nothing of its abilities ; you will got. a good prico about it.' (iold stono won tho raco in a canter, and Mr Barnard, who hots little, had 'five fifties ' twice about it, thoreby winning £500—a plunge f"r him. But his advisor, Mr Ham mond, took £10,000 to £200 in one bet, and altogether won £14,000 on tho race. Tlion cams iho unkindost cut of all. Tho horso (entorod for £'JOJ or £1100—1 forget which just at presont) had to bo put up to auction, and the excellence of its perform ance caused Captain Machell to run it up to l.lTiOgs., at which prico it was purchased by—nono other than Mr John Hammond. Only winning £000, Mr Barnard could not ntlbrd to buy it buck, but winning II 1,000, Mr Hammond could well nllbrd to purchase. As the astute Captain ilfteliel! gave the penultimate bid,(.ioldstone may bo wild to have realised no more than itH actual value. And how do Mopbi':* Barnard and Hammond come out of tlio tranf--aclii.ii? Tho former won £500 andlost a horso worth £\,'2:)~ 10s, making him a loser of upwards uf £700 over the business. The latter won £1-1,000, and deducting tho £1,207 10s paid for by Goldstoue, he comes out a winner of CV2,"iV2 10s, and a valuable racehorse. And after this, who dare to say that racing is not a great game ';" >

SINGULAR INSTANCES OF TRANCE.

THE TRANCE STATE; Or SUSPENDED ANIMATION.

" Tin-: mysteries connected with tho trance and other forms of apparent death aro a phenomenon that cannot fail to appeal to wonder-loving minds. Occasionally a cai-e of'prematurc burial g&ndii a thrill of horror through tho community ; liut tlio lecson that it teaches, that less hasto should bo manifested in committing deceased poisons to their silent homes, does nut stem to have been heoded, and under the pi esent custom tho body in hardly cold cie tho undertaker is called to perform his s;>l oliice. Wo lately heard a physician say that in a cturiO of medical lectures on cmiuont professor enjoined moi-t earnestly and solemnly upon his student*that they should never presume to decide positively that any person is dead till that infallible evidence, mortification, appeared. Cases aro occasionally recorded by phvsicana uhcro persons have bcon restored to consciousness by tlie probing of tho anatomical knife, nnd who recovered their health and lived for years thereafter. Ono infldicnl writer, Bru liter, in a disserta tion upon the uncertainty of tho sij;nri of death and the danger of precipitate burial*, has collected ono hundred and eighty cases in which porous still living were treated as dead. Fifty-two of theso wero actually buried ulive, four woro opened teforo death, fifty-three revived spontaneously after being placed in their collins, nnd seventy-two were supposed to have died when they really had not. One of tho most remarkable experiences of trance on record, and which lias pas.=ed into history as perfectly authentic;, is the case (if tho Uov. William Tonncnt, who was paster ot the Presbyterian Church at Freehold] New Jersey, wiioro ho died a hundred years ngo. Wo learn from the ' Memoirs of his Life,' that after a regular course of study in theology Mr Tennent was preparing for his examination by the Presbytery ns n candi date for tho Gospel ministry. His inttnso application affected his health, and brought on n pain in his breast and a slight hectic. Ho soon beeamo emaciated, nnd at length was like a living skeleton. His Hfo was now threatened. Ho was attended by a physician, a young man who was attached to him by tho slrictist and warmest friend ship. He grew worse nnd worso, till little hopo of life was left. In this situation his spirits failed him, and ho began to entertain doubts of his final happiness. He was con vorsing one morning with his brother in Latin, on tho etato of his soul, when he fainted and died away. After the usual time ho was laid out or. a board, according to the common practico of tho country, and the neighbourhood were invited to attond his funeral on the next day. In the evening his physician and friend returned from a ride into tho country, and was aitliotod beyond measure at tho news of his doath. Ho could not bo persuaded that it was certain ; and, on being told that ono of tho persons who had assisted in laying out tho body thouglit he had observed a little tremour of the flesh undortho arm, although tho body was cold and etiff, he endeavoured to ascertain tho foot. Ho first put his own hand into warm water tc make itassensiblo as possible, and then felt under the arm and at the heart, and affirmed that ho felt an unusual wnrmth, though no ono elso could. Ho had the body restored to a warm bod, and insisted that the pcoplo who had been invited to tho funeral should bo requested not to attond. To this tho brother objected as absurd, the eyes being .sunk, the lips dis coloured, and tho wholo body cold and stiff. However, the doctor finally prevailed, and all probable means wore used to discover symptoms of returning life. But tho third day arrived, and no hopos were intcrtnined of success but by the doctor, who never left him night nor day. Tho pcoplo wore again invited, and assembled to attend the funeral, The doctor still objected, and at last con fined his request for delay to one hour, then to half an hour, and finally to a quarter of an hour. Ho had discovered that tho tongue was much swollen, and threatened to crack. He was endeavouring to soften it by some emollient ointment put upon ib with a feather, when tho brother camo in about the expiration of the last period, and mistaking what tho doctor was doing for an attempt to food him,manifcsted somo re sentment, and said, in a spirited tone : ' It is shameful to he feeding a lifeless corpso ; ' and insisted with earnestness that tho funeral should immediately proceed. At this critical and important moment the body, to tlio great alarm und astonishment of all present, opened its oyej, gavo a dread ful groan, and sank again into apparent death. Mr Tennent continued in so weak a state for six weeks that great doubts were entertained of his final recovery. However, after that period he recovered much faster ; but it was about twelve months before ho was completely restored. A man is alive in Boston today who was supposed to be dead m hen on board a ship returning home, and preparations were made for his burial in the deep. He knew everything that was going on around him, but could make no sign of life. Tho preparations went on, and he was actually lowered over the side of the ship, when he felt that he must make the last desperate effort to bring tho mind to act in the body, and he succeeded in lifting his hand. This motion arrested attention, he was taken into the ship again, and was restored to health. Marvellous ia the fact of this knowledge of outward things, when the mind seems locked up, and not a single tense reports the news of the outward world 1 "—" Phrenological Journal," New York,

FIELD SPORTS AND AQUATICS.

(BY ACTION.)

CRICKET FIXTURES.

Octobor 11—"West Knd First Eleven v. Twenty two Colls. October 18 -Wc3t Knd First Eleven v. Twenty twn Colts. October 31—SIuiw'b English Klcvon v. Aus tralian Team, at Adelaide.

AQUATIC FIXTURES.

October—Opening of tlio bontlng sermon. October gn-MntxerSon V. Kemp, £Jooa-side, on tbo Ni'peaii ooufsP; November 8-Whau River Regatta. .T.-i'iiiarv 2!)— Auckland Annual Regatta. Febimiir 7-Hanlin v. Clifford. WOO u-slde. Fobruary2S-f.liir.ird v. H™eli. tWhi-side Mnrcli 2S-H.in!itn v.nencli, i.WO aside rtnd championship of the world, cm tlio Parnniatta River. Aiiril IS-Clifl'onl v. Hanlan (if tho former is victorious in bis niatoh with Heaeli). Clifford v. Teenier, £iiOO a-side.

CYCLING FIXTURES.

October—Opening of the season,

Tun bicycle ecaaon was to havo been oponcd this aftoruoon by a large procession of wheelmen, representing di/l'orent clubs.

The Otago Cricket. Association now re presents seventeen clubs and tliroo others nave applied to join.

Tho North Shore Rowing Club's now .siling test; will probably arrive hero by the next steamer from Sydney.

The Melbourne Club havo determined to erect v temporary grand stand, eupablo of seating from I,SOO to 2,000 person*, in place ot tho one recently destroyed by tiro.

\V. Matthews, builder of tho Lance, has now in course of construction a now twenty footer, which ho will fail at tho Auckland Regatta.

It is expected that (hero will bo four entries for the scullers'race at tho Whmi Regatta, viz., Messrs George and Albert While, T. Furquhar and K. Bailey.

Carr and Sons are building a 10ft. open centreboard failing-boat for Coutts, of l'on- Honby, and a I Oft. open sailing boat for Dansoy, of this city.

Tho racing whaleboat Floronco was sold by Leydon, auctioneer, on Tuesday afternoon for LIG. Mr J. B. Morpeth was the purchaser.

Logan,of North Shore,is builtfingnnoflibr 4 ton yacht for a gentleman resicJii)g at the Kawau, Her dimensions will be 23 foot in, length ; beam, 7 feet C inches ; doptli, 2 feet 9 iuclics.

Bailoy will havo finished the now whale boat for tho Manukau Rowing Club in a few days, and will then commenco another craft of a similar description for tho Waite matn Boating Club.

It is tho intention of tho Napier Rowing Club and the Hawko's Bay Sailing Club to open tho soason with a conjoint procession and rowing and sailing races on October •tlh.

During last scaaon the Canterbury Row ing Club was represented at regattas at Ak.-u-oa, Kuiapoi, L,yttelton, and Cbriat church, and won prizes to tho amount of LOU Ss.

Tho Lancaster Park Club's annual moot ing was hold at Christchurch on September I?, when tho bnlance-shc-ut was read and showed a credit balance of L3 7s fid, while the balanco of assets over liabilities was LI I.

A meeting of tho North Shore Ko-.ving Club is convened for Monday evening next, when one item of the business transacted will be to discuss tho advisability or other wiso of taking part in tho coining Whau Regatta.

A twentyfeot pulling boat for I'ierco, of the Masonic Hotel, and a 10ft. centreboard sailing-boat for A. Buchanan, are amongst tho orders recently left with Logan,of North Shore, and they will bo proceeded with early.

At tho annual meeting of tho Oamaru Cricket Club hold on September 13th,it wan resolved, with a view to fo.'tor (Ticket, that two scholars from each of the four principal schools uhould be admitted into ilia Club as honorary members.

llewson in building a new twenty-feet open sailing boat to replaco tho Transit, which sank in tho harbour several months ago and has never been recovered. Tho sumn builder has turned out a new 10 feet half-decked boat, having great beam and shallow draught.

The Waitemata Rowing Club inten I to contribute two junior crews, one senior crew, and ono maiden crew, for I ho whale boat races to bo rowed at the VVhnu Regatta. If a string-tost is available, they may nlso bo represented in another event. Members of the Club aro already engaged in practico.

This afternoon was the opening of our cricket eoason, and should have seen soveral matches in the Domain, although but few club programmes have yet been arranged. Tho principal match for this afternoon was ono between tho Auckland First Elovon and twenty-two colts.

Tho annual meeting of the Canterbury Rowing Club was held on September 11. Tho report showed the Club included 115 ordinary, 21 honorary, and 0 lifo members, being a decreas-o of '21 sinco the previous year. Tho receipts for tho year amounted L.'i-tO 12«", and tho expenditure to L 378 13s 4d.

I am informed that in connection with tho scullers' race at tho l«t Whan Regatta a second prize was promised on condition that threo boats contested tho event. Th» toco was won by Albert White, with Bailey junior second. Tho latter has not received any prize yot, although almost a yoar hat passed.

An interesting roviow of tho four trips mado by Australian cricketerH to England appoarg in a recent issue of tho "Canter bury Times," and shows the general result of tho last tour to havo been distinctly «n ---favourable to tho fourth eleven. A tablo is appended showing tho result of each tour as follows :—

Tho boating soason was opened at Dun edin last week with a grand rowing tourna ment, in which were represented New Zea land Railways (two crows), Sparrow <fc Co., Evoning Star, Mackerras, Hazlett, Scoular <!t Co., Reid & Gray, Firo Brigade, Medical School, Victoria Insurance Company, Union Steamship Company, P. Heymcn & Co. (two crows), New Zealand Hardware Com pany, surveyors, Colonial Bank, N.Z. L. & M. A. Company, Union Bank, Rattray and Co., Bates, Sire and Co., University graduates, N. M. & A. Company, H.M, Customs, Telegraph and Public works. Tho ovent wus rowed off in seven heats, first row off, second row off and final, the result being a victory for Reid and Grey's crow, surveyors, second ; Sparrow onsl Co., third ; " Otago Daily Times," fourth.

Tho cricket season which has just opened in New Zealand (according to " Public Opinion ") promises to bo a busy one, as two intorprovincial matches have already been ananged, an All England team is expected, and in all probability a Victorian Eleven will visit New Zealand towards tho begin ning of next year. A strong effort will bo made to send a team over to Tasmania to return tho visit they paid us last year, and if an eleven goes,in all probability it will visit Victoria as well. Mr Alex ander has written to the Secretary of tho Cricket Association to say that owing to tho inability of several members of the Austra lian Eleven to obtain extension of leave, tho eleven will not visit Now Zealand, as was at first anticipated.

Tho postponement of tho Auckland Row ing Club's annual meeting till Wednesday next, owing to the miserable attendance of membors on Wednesday last docs not reflect creditably on those who were expected to represent tho various clubs. In fact, it oxhibits a pitiful lack of interest, which, as in tho past, will probably not be aroused until the Reason has well begun, and then hasty and incomplete arrange ments will very likely be made for the dif ferent aquatic events. The business to bo transacted at the annual meeting includes, ai usual, the election of officers ; and it would be well that none but energetic and enthusiastic sportsmen wcro elected, so I hopo to see a very large attendance. One matter to be arranged will be tho opening of the boating season, and some effort should be made to havo the turn-out of a much better character than in previous years. Last year, it may be remembered, there was no " opening " at all, frequent postponements having led ultimately to its abandonment. So far as finances are con cerned, the Association stand fairly well off. During the year £28 15s was paid away for prizes, and £17 10s Cd for en graving, printing, &.C. Subscriptions amounted to £C 0 10s Sd, of which sum £22 lGswas received from members,and CJiS 4s Sd from other sources. After paying all lia bilities there remains a credit balance of £4 8s 2d.

Willia-n Edwards, th 6 long-distancS walker, writing to Mr M. Gallagher, o Auckland, from London, under date o

August 12, »ay» i—" I hova been In London now nearly a month, nnd have been nrtviiif? a real good time. A few days ago I was at the athletic eportß meeting in which the three great American amateurs, Myers, Murray, and Fredrick?, were compet ing. There is no mistake that Myers is a wonder. He ran a 'quarter' in 49J—the fastest I have seen inmy life—and I would not have missed it for anything. At tho same meeting Mur ray walked 4 miles in beautiful style in 2!)tn. 2lßcc. A few days before, I went to Stratford Bridge grounds, to see W. G. George, tho famous English amateur, at tempt to bent Deerfoot's 11 miles 970 yards. He failed, but still gut within 35 yards of it. The greatest wonder of them .-til that I havo PCen is Hi Hutuhins, the sprint runner. I saw him run at Bo* Grounds id ft 130 yards hitndicitp. He was handicapped to gitfe some of them 30 yrtrds- only fancy, 3 seconds in 13. Among the " boys "in Lon don it is said ho can run 100 in 'J and 440 in in. Anyhow, in practice he can jilai) with Byors. Tho other d.iy in tho ground T"wnri introduced to the famous 'Rowell.' Hois,' without doubt, the most gentlemanly little fellow I havo ever met in tho pedestrian profession ; and if there were a few more like him, professional pedestrianism would havo a far bettor name than it has." Ed wards willarrivo in Auckland in December next, and will bring with him several athletes, and they will givo several exhibi tions throughout New Zealand.

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By Elthhi'K.)

A i'ANoiuma of the Egyptian War is being exhibited in Christchurch.

Dr. Anna Potts is lecturing in Queens land.

Tho Villon Society aro preparing two volumes of Arabian Talcs to form a sequel to tlie "Arabian Kights,"

(loneral George A. Sheridan has . been lecturing in Melbourno on Abraham Lin coln.

Mr Lawrence Barrett is to visit Aus tralia, under tho auspices oi Messrs Allison and Rignold, next Aluy.

Florence Morryat, tho author-actress, has been engaged by George Hathaway for the Kcdpath Lyceum Bureau, and begins her American season in October.

Tenors are plentiful in England now, it would seem. Down at Fulham the/ wa.it ono for a church, and offer £15 per annum for one service per week.

Georgo Rignold has brought out with him a signed contract with Mr (J. A. Sala, who will sail in January, for a series of lectures.

It is reported that Mr Irving's first pro duction at the Lyceum after his return from his second American tour will bo " King John."

Among tlio forthcoming works of the ap proaching publishing season v tho "Life nnd Correspondence of George Eliot," by her husband, Mr John Cross.

A brief l'op'nograph by Mr Robert Buchanan on tho' late Charles Keado was to appear in tho September number of " Harper's Magazine."

Madame Thi'o, the French operatic singer, has just become n widow. Four months ugo her rival, Jiniic, also lost her husband.

Miw I Jargon contemplates returning to New Zealand shortly, and playing a "star ring " engagement thioughout the colony, commencing at Auckland.

A new tenor, Signor Modini, of whom report speaks highly, has been engaged by Messrs Williamson, Garner and Mjsgrove, and will shortly appear in Sydney.

Tho gross receipts at Durry Lane for last year amounted t0£10,273, and the expan diturc to £7,500. August is Harris obtained in Feburuary a renewal of the le 8 • fora term of live years.

Mr Clark Russell is writing a now story of the sea. The opening chapters will ap pear with the new year in one of tho moro popular monthlies. Mr Clark Russell has named his story " A Strange Voyage,"

It is said that Mr Gosse has been fortun ate enough to discover an unpublished poem by Gray of somo length, which he will print in bin forthcoming edition of Gray's works.

The pupils of Victor Masse have deter mined to open s subscription for the pur pose of erecting a monument in tho ceme tery of Montmartro to the illustrious com poser.

Wilson Barrett reopened tho Princess's about a month ago, with "Cluudian." He follows with "Hamlet," and anticipates a great success for his production of an un published play by the late LordLytton

Mi«s Genevieve Ward, who is to visit New Zonland at Christmas time, will bo accompanied by Mr \V. H. Vcrnon, an nctor of unusual merit, and Mi*s Watts Phillips, tho leading lady of tho " Youth " combination.

Tho latest on clit about Mrs Lanptry is that ehe intends getting divorced as a pre liminary to marrying Freddie Gebhardt, and retiring from tho stago. If no hitch occurs in the divorce proceedings, tho wed ding will take place in January.

Mr Thomas Brackon, the New Zealand poet, has been lecturing in Christchureh on "Tho Poets of Ireland." Ho has also given n Beries of readings and recitations entitled, " War, Love, and Laughter." In all probability ho will work his way North.

Pinimti, tho prolific and popularsone:-com poser has just published two now ballads entitled "Estello" and "My Nellie." They ure said to bo vory pleasant little morccaitx, with flowing melodies and of a thoroughly vocal character.

Tho death is reported of Herr Pillott, who accompanied his wife, Mdmo. Jnnauschek, on her professional visit to Australia. He was an ex captain in tho German navy, well-educated, and a brilliant linguist, for ho could carry on a conversation in eight languages.

Mr G. K. Fleming, son of Mr T.Fleming, of Christchureh,lias won crcditas a musician by composing " A wolcome to Sir Henry Loch," tho words of which wore written by Mr H W. Emmet. At an entertainment in the Molbourne Town Hall recently, tho new Bong was sung by Miss Docy Stewart.

Mrs G. B. Lewis and Company play for four week 3in Christchureh, commencing on November 3. The Pollard Juvenile Opera Company have also arranged for a season extending from January 4 to the ISth, in clusive. They will be succeeded by tho " Silver King " Company.

A now part, Nn. 10, of Sir George Grove's "Dictionary of Music find Musicians" is roady for issuo. Tho new portion will complete the letter S, and extend to "Tirarsi." Dr. Hubert Parry contributes tho paper on "Symphony," Mr James Lecky that on " Temperament," and Mr E. J. Payne deals with tho "Tenor Violin."

Tho library of the late Mr John Payne Collier (in its way one of the very finest of modern private collections) will be brought to the hammer. The featuro of the collec tion is of cource the Shakespearian section, almost every volume in which is crowded with MS. notes of the greatest value and interest.

The late If. J. Byron wrote eight dramas, thirteen comedies, and fifty-six burlesques, &c, which have been published, and thirty five other maunscript plays, all of which proved more or less successful. This makes him third in the catalogue of prolific dramatists, ranking after Boucicault and Planche.

Mr Buskin, in " irratefully accepting'" tho dedication of Mr Seymour Haden's mezzotint of Turner's "Calais Pier," has written to express his delight at tho eminent etcher's attempt to rcvivo that beautiful art. Mezzotint, says Mr Ruskin, is the only satisfactory way in which Turner's pictures can be rendered in chiaro-oscuro.

A leading Cincinnati "musical critic re viewed a recent performance of Gounod's " Redemption " thus :—" There were thirty blue dretweo, ten black, and twenty red, in the chorus ; most of the others were while, with a drab, cream colour, canary giisp, and scorched banana to complete the effect. It was immense."

An almost forgotten opera of Flotow's— " ludra "by navne—is about to be produced at a Borlin theatre. It eeems that this opera, which is said to abound in the bayadere choruEes, dance music, &c, without which oriental lifo is popularly supposed to be in complete, was performed some thirty years ago at the Royal Opera Houso, Berlin, with marked success.

Playgoers will be grieved to learn that that popular comedian, Bland Holt, has been, and is still, dangerously ill. He has been attended by several of the most skilful doctors in London, including Sir James Pogot. The latter gentleman is of opinion that ho is suffering from abcess of the'brain, which it is feared will have but one ending —a sad one.

The following is the resnlt, placed in order, cf the voting on a recent " Truth " puzzle, requiring a "list of the ten beetmoden

fingH«hdramatl»ts"i-tt. rf. Jty/on. sV> T, AY, Robeftion, 661 W. S. GlllWL 61; W. 0. Wills, 48 j Tom Taylor, 47 ; Lord Lytton and Dion Boueicault (equal), 45 ; G.R.Sims, 36 i Charle? Jleftdo, 33; J. Albery, 24, F. C. Burmaud, 23.

The music hall-gong of the day-or night —in London just now is the celebrated Me- Dermott's " Not Much." In singing it he asks questions as to tho current events, one or two of hi 3 confederates among tho audi ence respond in chorus, "Not much, not much," and the singer then cuts in with " Cut it's better than nothing at all." lho opportunity for local hits is immense.

The death is announced, at Saint Ger main en Laye, of the widow of Halcvy, the famous composer of "La Juivo " and other operas. Through herbrother, M. Hippolyto llodriguo), Madnme Halevy became well known in French financial circle?. She had also groat taste for sculpture, and she executed a bust of her husband for the foi/er of tho I\ari3 Opera Comique. Her 'daughter Gcnevieveis the widow of George- Bir.et, composer.

Mr A. Is. Hrtlilax, formerly ngo.nt for the Dunning CoinJc Qpfcirt Company, is now an impresario on his ovvri Recount, and at latest advices had an opefti company at Mudgee (N.S.W.). Their rcp'e(to?fO con sists of "Boccaccio," "Ln T'ericliolo," "t'irollo," "jMadamo Angot," "Maritana," "Grand Du6h6s?,"a'id "The Bold I)ragoons" (biirlcsquo). Hiss Mary O'Neill and Signor ]>lane, the tcn'or of trbmolo fa'm'o, ar6 tho principal artistes;

According to the " Asa'donVy'J.' .Mr Henry T. Whartori, M.A., 6i Wadham College, Oxford, prc|poses to publish early in the autumn a little v6lumo on Sappho. It will consist of two parts—firat, a memoir giving ri popular account of all tho facts known about Sapjiho ; second, the original text of every fragment of her writings that has come down to us, tog6ther with'a! literal prose translation, and all the beSf render ings into English verso that have been made of tlicni.

Professor CuilltaVr fs atshfoying a' pro nounced success in Sydney with bis popular Hingingclasses. Madame CharbonnctKeller man testified to, her old master's rare musical talent, and so great was tho competition for admission to his first scries of classes that lie has been obliged to start supplementary ones also. He has secured a largo number of influential patrons. In his opinion Sydney takea pre cedence of Auckland for musical culture, and ho is rejoiced to find that his bete noire —tho tonic sol-fa system—is not recognised there.

The Dunning Opera Company are at In vercargill. On one of their last nights in Dunedin, shortly before the termination of the laßt act of " Rip Van Winkle," MrDun ningappeared bofore the footlights and asked the indulgence of the audience, as Miss Ivanova had been taken suddenly ill, and could not possibly appear again that night. The announcement was not at nil well re ceived by many in the lower portion of the House, who manifested their disappoint ment in rather an.unfeoling manner by hisß ing and hooting. The Company open at If obart next.

A very curioua fifteenth century MS. volume was sold in a London auction room for £980. It consktß of 257 folio leaves of vellum, and contains miniatures of ex traordinary beauty, illustrating the early history of Normandy and early English his tory. Tho iirst of the series represents the arrival of Duke Rollo at ltouen, and among others are thedeath of Ed ward the Confessor, the coronation of Harold, the landing of William tho Conqueror, tho battle of Hastingo, burial of Harold's body at Wai tham Abbey, tho funeral of William, tho coronation of Rufu.-j, and the death of Richard Cu:ur de Lion at Chaluz, all ex ecuted in the highest style of Burgundion art, and with the minutest detail of archi tecture, costume, and armour.

A Melbourne policeman recently found a hat and a coat about GOOyardsfrom the north bank of tho river Yarra. In one of tho coat pockets were some scraps of paper dis closing the fact that the owner —a young man named Clarke—intended to commit suicide by drowning, and stating that his reason for ending his oxistence was in con sequence of hish.ivingconceived "the tender passion" for Miaa Emclie Melville, the charming prima donna at p-esent flaying in tho Bijou Theatre. He knew that his casa waa hopeless (as the lady was not aware that he loved her), his acquaintance with hor having only been made across the footlights of the theatre in which she ;s playing. The following extract from one of tho scraps will serve as a sample: — " When 1 am dead and gone, let him who finds my body know tho reason why I have ended my life. It is because I loved Miss Emelie Melville, not wisely but too well. lam afraid of killing her. God knows how I love her ! She is my life, my soul, my god, my everything ! Hove her and wo»hip her with my life and soul, and she does not know it. I have seen her in ' Girofle-Girofla,' and ' The Royal Middy.'" There was another letter purporting to be written by Mr Charles Harding, the well known tenor, addressed to " Miss Gracie Plaisted, Clarendon Hotel, Sydney," in which Mr Harding introduces Clarke to that young lady's notice.

An English paper says that the forest scenes of "As You Like It" have perhaps never had a better sotting than at the amateur performance in the, groundo of Coombe House, New Maldaa, now used asa hydropathic establishment, before a dis tinguished company. The copse of lime trees, representing the Forest of Aden, was large enough to shelter both audience and actors from the threatening rain, which, however, mercifully did not do more than threaten. The opening sceue was really charming. There were the hunters with spear and bugle strolling among the trees and singing a hunting song. Costumes ami equipment were so exeelleutly chosen that without straining the imagination it was easy to imagine that the wild boar would presently break throueh the thickettoafford sport to the banished Duke and his faithful suite. Lady Archibald Campbell, under whoso auspices tho play was acted at Coombo House, took the part of Orlando, and was deservedly applauded. Mr Her mann Vezin did excellently well as the Melancholy Jacques, and tho other actors, professional as well as amateurs went through their parts with much credit to themselves and tothe acting manager, Tho band was very good, and but for an occa sional perambulator in the distant back ground or a cockaded hat, where the hunt ing apparel of ages past was but in place, there was not the slightest discord in the whole performance.

Hard Drinking Essentially an English Habit.

As a matter of fact, there is nothing easier than to prove that hard drinking has been an essentially English habit since the dawn of our history. Shakspere, who left off writing 270 years ago, paints a whole gal lery of typical drunkards, and by the mouth of lago, claims the Englishman as far and away t he most consummate toper in Europe. In 1606 it ie on record that Joice Rowe, Abbess of Rumsey, one of the wealthiest convents in tho kingdom, and tenanted mostly by noble dames, was accused before Bishop Pox of carousing habitually far on into the night with her nuns—a pretty strong proof that hard drinking was then a national vice.

Toward tho end of the 14th century Chaucer represents all his low class charac ters as jolly topers. The miller can hardly sit his horse, and tho cook tumbles off into tho mire, in consequence of their potations. The wife of the miller of Benay does not go to bed without " her jolly whistle wel ywet." In 1315, the noble dame Clementina Guildford, Abbess of Rumsey, and tho worthy predecessor of Joicc Kowe, drinks herself to death.

Somo generations earlier, the author of tho romance of Merlin describes tho mother of his horo—a highly respectable young woman—as accompanying her neighbours to the ale-house, swilling there till long past midnight, taking alusty share in a brawl, and then falling literally as well as figuratively into tho claws of tho demon, tho whoio thing taking place as quito a matter of course.

In the reign of Stephen como? Walter Map, tho jovial Archdeacon of Oxford, with his widely popular drinking songs. A century earlier the whole Saxon army spent the night before the battle of Hastings in pushing about the bowl.

And so we go back century by century ; poets, annalists, statutes, and the canons of provincial councils, all telling us that deep drinking was tho rulo all over Great Britain, up to the time when our ancestors could form no other ideas of heaven than as a place where fierce bouts of fi-hting and bouts as fierce of drinking were the only occupations and enjoyments.—From the St. James's Gazette."

A New York firm of bicycle-makers have just had struck off, to be hawked about the streets, a remarkably well-engraved sheet of portraits of the candidates at tho cominc Presidential election. One svaeo in the centre is left blank, but with the words on it in red letters : " Cleveland is not shown, as ho is at present taking a trip on one of the famous' Star' Company's bicycles ; with the lateßt improvements, from fifty dollars "

Tracking an Adept In Disguises.

! " Tito* neatest and about the longe«t jo'j 1 ever wu» concerned in," nays a writer In " Timtf,"' y/ne "yotfng Mr burbridge's cas. t . and thut T did hi London without any help from the Londotf police. lie was i« the; theatrical profession •; a smart young ch«p, greatly I rusted by his manager—made »• sort of confidcntal secretary of, and allowed, to keep tins accounts and all the cash.. No out checked one counted t'other.- Ones fine morning ho wont off with a big sum.. He'd b^en to the bank and drawn a c/wquo to pay the v/eeUly wages, but he went off instead, leaving the treasury empty and the whole company Whistling for their The manager was halt ;nad. mid he cania at once to the police. The cliicf sent for mo. •'' It's a bad business ; thoroughly baJ, and we must get him,'hesaid. " 'No idea which way lie's pone V I asked. " ' None ; that's for you to rind out. So take up the cisc at once. Spare no pains — spend what money you like, only catch him, if you can.' "In jobs of that sort, sir, time goes a lonft way, of course. Butitain'tovcrything. Burbridgc had a good .start, several hours or more, but it wns no uso my rushing off after him in a hurry, particularly as I did I n6t know which it'ay t« rush. So I set myself to tlliiWk a little before I commencad wort?. Thff ' swag ' stolen wns large. The ' thief Tftfi'lcl' probably try to make tracks I out of thvjcerantry as soon us he could, bat i which way ? To i/iverpool, perhaps, and : by ono of the R-'cftW etaimef* to the States; i or to Hull, and so to1 Sweden and Norway; I or to London, and so toi'rance andSpuin. i " 1 serit one of my mon to the railway i station US ttafke inquiries, and another to i wire to fne police at the ports, and to i Scotland Yard id -.*«tcii the Continental I trains. The job' I kepi M myself was to i find out what I could ahemt young Bur ! bridge's ways—who his friend* weie, and ■ how h"e spent his time. It's the oidf way to get a line on a man who's madeotf h? » hurry, and left no clue. So 1 made at once : for the fellow's rooms. He lived in com fortable apartments over a tobacconist's, and was a good customer to his landlord, to judge by the number of pipes I «aw over wie mantelpiece, all (fi which were as well coloured as a black-snd-tan. The rooms were just as he left theirl i fee might really have been coming back in hslfan hour, only he did not quite intend to, not of his own alccord. The cheat of dratters* was full of clothes ; there were boote aH ready polished 1 brush and comb on the 1 dressing-table. In the Bitting-room the slippers were on the hearth ; books, acting plays lying on the sofa and about the floor, a writing-desk, and "' Papers V

" Not a single serap —not a letter, or an envelope, or even an unreceipted bill. He'd maJe up his mind to bolt, and hod . removed everything which might give r» the smallest notion of which way he d gone. It was just f-hesameat the theatre. Hod had a sort of dressing-room there which he'd used as aui office, with a desk in it, and pigeon-holes and a nest of drawers. It was all left ship-shape enough. Files of play-bills, of accounts receipted and not, ledgers, and all that; bat not a paper ef the kind I looked for. I mado a proety close search, too. 1 towk every piece of furniture bit by bit, and turned over overy scrap of stuff with writing on it or without. I forced every lock and /ansacked every hid ing-place, but I got nothing anywhere for my pains, The manager was with me all the time, and be didn't half like it, I can tell you. No more did J, although I wouldn't for worlds show that I was rexed, 1 tried to keep him up, saying it'd come fttt right—that patience in these things never failed in the long roil, and I got him to talk about the young chap, to see if I could come upon his habits that way. " ' Who were his friends, now?' I asked. " 'He'd none in particular—not in the company, at least, or out of it.' " 'That'n queer. None at all—no lady friend ? Wasn't he sweet upon one or other of your stars ? There's Miss Plantagenet, now, and Miss ' " ' He could'nt bear the sight of them'; that'd why I liked him so much ; he ■was so 3uiet and steady ; no flirting and philari* ering; stuck close to his books and his business.' " 'Never took a holiday even ?' " ' Well, now and again ho went away for a few days at a time ; not far—to London on'y. His mother lived there, he said, a widowed mother '

" ' Who wore silk tights, and danced breakdowns, and played in burlesques?' I said quietly, as I drew out of the blotting paper a photograph of a young lady, a fair haired little bit of a thing, with a pretty, rather modest face, which I felt I should know again. The carte-de-visite had the . photograj her's jam: on it and his addreeß, that of a good ttreet. This was my' lino, of cource. I made up my mind ■ to follow on to London at onco, Then .: one of my men came in to say that Burbridge had been seen taking a ticket to London 1 No ; only to Shrivelsby—a , long way short of it. It was some game, 1 felt certain. He might have gone to Lon don, and paid excess fare; but I wired tc Shrivelsby, and also to town. No one like him had been seen at Shrivelsby; he hadn't got out there, that was clear. Only «ncr person did, and it wasn't him; at least the person did not answer to his description^ It was only a man in a working suit-^l '.' mechanic on the look-out for work. Nor '}. had be been seen at Euston ; hut that was a big place, and he might easily have been missed. So I started for London at once, '• taking the photograph and another of Bur bridge, whom I had never seen in my life. "It is not difficult to hunt out who owns , to a carte-de-visite, particularly when the ) portrait's that of a theatrical. I found the rrson who answered fast enough directly went into the photographer's place, j There was a likeness of her ji hi« album, in the very same dress, and her name to 'A it, Miss Jessie Junniper. I toon found out more too. Before night I knew that she was playing at the Royal Rosicus, and that she lived in a , street of little villas down Hammersmith way. I took lodgings myself in the house just opposite, and set up a close watch. In ' tho morning, early, Miss Jessie came out, and I followed hor to the underground rail way. She took a ticket for Temple Station. ■'-: So did I, and tracked her down to the \ theatre Rehearsal, of course. Three hours • " passed before she came out again. Then a man met her at the stage-door, a very old j: gentleman, who leant on a stick, and seemed , ■ very humpy-backed and bent. They went down the Strand together to Allen's, the great trunk-maker, and through the windows I I saw them buy a couple of these big trunks, I baskets covered with black leather, such as ladies take on their travels. 'Urn,' thought I, ' she's on the fit.' I was only just in time. Then they went down the Charing ■ Cross Station, and so back to Hammer smith. The old gentleman went into the house with Miss Junniper, and stayed an hour or two, and then took his leave. "Next day Miss Junniper did not go out. Tho boxes arrived, and towards mid day an oldish lady—a middle-aged, poorly- 1 ..-' dressed, shabby-genteel lady—called and stayed several hours. But no Burbridge,. 1 and nobody at all like him. I began : to feel disappointed. The third day Miss ■ Junniper went out again to rehearsal; the old gentleman met her as before, and the two drove this time in a cab to the city. I followed them to Leadenhall-street, where they went into the office of the White Star j Line. I did not go upstairs with them, and somehow I lost them when they came out. I ought to have guessed then what I did not think of till late that night. Of I course the old gentleman was Bur bridgo himself. Ho was an actor, arid • a nipper, therefore, at disguises. He'd been playacting all along. He -vastbo , mechanic at Shnvelsby, the shabby-gentefil ' • ; old lady, and the old man most of all. I won't teil you how I cursed myself for not thinking of this sooner. It was almost too late when I did. My gent had left the villa (to which they had returned), and he did not come back next day, nor yet tfis j day after, and I was nearly wild with the chance I'd lost. He got ' the office,' that's what I thought, and I was up a tree. "But the third day came a telegram for the young lady. I saw the boy deliver it and go off, as though there was no answer^ Then she came out, and I followed hor to the telegraph office. I caw her write her !' message and send it off. I'd have given ; pound* to read it, butl couldn't manage it; the clerk—it's his duty—wouldn't let me. I was countered agaiu, and I was almost beat, and thinking of writing home to say so, when I saw in the compartment where Miss Junniper had been writ-1 ing her message—she'd done it with a hard pencil, which showed through; thoro was the address as plain as ninepence ; —no mystery or circumlocution—'Bur- bridge, King's Head Hotel, Kingston,'. " I was there the same evening, just be fore his dinner. I asked if Mr Burbridga ;■) was here. Sure enough. He wasn't a bit afraid of being took, I suppose, so far off the line of pursuit; bo he'd stuck to his owu name, and was not even disguised. H? . ■. gave in without a word. The tickets were on him, and in his bag upstairs a lot of the V cash he'd stolen -likewise a wardrobe of clothes—the old gentleman's suit, and oil the rest. " 'Did he enjoy his dinner?' S-Ij ij; '"Well, not much. I joined him, t^ti : i didn't handcuff him ; but I eat the beffc . J part of it myself, and I think I deserved it r I itoo.*1" .;: [:. ■ ; .g

4

~?\FU3Bf^ PJ ft fWj • *'QJ% *. *J M.wa i f '■' \/,y/yy-iIJ Jy^ ■- ~j «■ <*>^'j_



i'oar. 1878 1880 18V! 1XKI

Won. 19 23 18

Lost. I 4 7

Drawr.. IS u 11

Total 41 :i7 ;s S2