" Thus, my friends, I providentially—if r may use that term in view of the' meian 3 holy fate of so many others-escaped the .errible calamity that befell the Regulusand •_ov living freight. I arrived in Calcutta 'speedily and safely, closed my business without trouble or delay-for Sir William had been a methodical man, and his affairs vvero all in order when ho passed away-I closed my business, settled everything that required settling, deposited the greatwealth that had fallen bo me and mine, and took letters of credit, on London, and then sailed for home. .... -r " There would be no English steamer,! found, ready to start for bwo weeks, ab least. The French steamer which had brought mo from Capo Town was ready to sail, bound for Marseilles ; so again I took passage on board, her commander gladly giving me the privilege for the sake of my services, his own surgeon being down with fever. "And now, your honor, and gentlemen —friends-comes' a surprise. Ab Cape Town, on my way home, judge of my as tonishment ab meeting Ralph Ashmore, my daughter's promised husband. Ho was ragged and wan, his face the picture of misery and cankering care. He had been .picked up ab sea, webks and months before, by a Swedish brig that had come from the North Soa down through the English Channel, bound for Ausbraha. Her com mander, who had done all in his power for the poor youth, had left him at Capo Town 'by his own request. Ho had takon Ralph from a small boat, without a sail or an oar jflthoufc I. cfuml- of food or a drop of fresli wator—had taken him up utterly insensible, and, for a time, he had thought dead. Bub he had revived after a time, and had re covered. Tho Swede had told him that his boat had been found fifty to sixty miles off the extreme northwest headland ot France. , . . "I will only add: Tho poor boy had been at Capo Town only a week when I met him. Tho joy I must leave you to imagine. ' I took him to my bosom, and I haven t lost aight of him since. Home by the way ot Marseilles, across Franco as swiftly as steam could carry us: and we never knew the mischief brewing here till we landed at Dover and met poor Werter. You must allow me bo say, the meeting was a blessing to him ; and if he shall nob be troubled tor this last wrong, I am fully persuaded that he will reform. That is all.1 The matter of the cause in hand, Jonas Crandal v. Samuel Laybrook, ct a 1.," w.-rs given to tho jury without a further word, and a verdicb rendered insbanter. Then as tho assembled people wero eager beyond any power to restrain them, and as tho court itself was in-full sympathy, Ralph Ashmpre was asked if ho would kmdly tell 'his story, and ho consented. He stood up, not in the witness-stand, bub by the side of tho judge, and began. He told the story as we know it, from tho timo of the assaulb and capburo on Regent street on that dark, stormy November evening, to the moment'when, having failed to attract tho notice of the passing vessel, he had sunk down in his great suffer ino* and happily found rest in utter obliv ion. Ho told of seeing the face of Tom Crandal, of bhe words that passed between them, of how he had begged that his cruel bonds might be loosened ; of how ab length .Tom had come to look at or feel thoso bonds, but, instead of easing them, he had only felt to assure himself that they wero secure. Then of his being loft alono; of the discovery that the boat had been 'scuttled; of his final, attempt to throw him self forward upon his knees to pray ; and then how, almost miraculously, the knot of the cord had become caught in a belaying cleat; and at length cast loose. " After I fainted," he said, " I remember no more until I awoke, or came to my senses, on board the Swedish brig of which Doctor Dale ha 3 told you. The Swedes were very kind to me, and I only hope I may at some future time be able to repay^hern. Pardon me—l can—say —no more !" And a little later, notwithstanding the multitude of gazers, his head had found a rest on Morna's shoulder, her loving arms ; entwined him; and of all who saw there was scarcely a soul thab did nob look through blinding tears. What more need we tell ? You surely do not need to be told that Ralph and Morna v/ere married, and that, too, without un necessary delay ? nor that the event was one of the most joyous that Wallingham had seen for many a day. Sir Lawrence, feeling it his duty to make'his home at the ancestral Abbey, gave up the dear old Grange to the young couple, whero, though wealthy be yond every want, or even power to legi timately expend, our hero continued the practice of his profession, not more from . love of it than from love of his suffering fellows ; while our heroine, moved by the same grand* spirit, became Lady Bountiful of all the region round about. And we know who are bhe cherished friends that give added brightness and blessing to their lives. ' Jonas Crandal, having been taken in hand by the government whose laws he had outraged, was tried and convicted, on several counbs, and transported for life. He made no appeal. Tom's was a different fabe. He broke away from the officers who had arrested him ; and having drawn a pistol which had been concealed.on his.person, and turned ', upon his pursuers with direful threats and imprecations; he was shot, falling dead where he stood. 'A pleasing fact we may record at closing: Poor Darnley Werter, having been freely forgiven by those whom he had so unwillingly sinned against, turned over a new leaif, with a firm resolve bhab bhe rest of his days should be lived as nearly right as it was' in him to do. And he kept the : faith. Mr Blackmore took him into his office, where, in course of time, he became ah honored and trusted attorney. .

THE END

Suicide of a Sculptor.

A curious case of suicide occurred recently at'Roihe.. A.young sculptor, a very able and talented artisb, becoming despondenb ab bhe lack of means and employmenb, brought his life to aa close by making a cast with plaster of paria' over the living face. The affair was partially hushed up, but the cast will probably : figure in some museum as one of the eccentricities of art. Such anobher case is a fine figure of bronze at the Ecolo dcs Beaux Arts, fib Paris, re presenting Mercury drawing a thorn from fta Sitall. . The right hand iof the I--, t's waning, a«e you a may imagine, not alone from the nobleness of the work, but from this defect, 'that you are looking uppn'an old Greek statue.. This Mercury was the last work of the luckless sculptor Briants.7 Although he had gained the Prix de Rome, and his genius was acknowledged as incomparable among,his French contem poraries, he was almost always, so far as commissions went,: unemployed. A garret . served him both as studio, living-room and bedroom. Here during the severe winter he worked at i. his Mercury, always saving his small quantity of coai for the hours during which his model was sitting to him. He spent the rest of the day without a fire. One night the cold was so bitter that he :heaped upon his bed all the clothes he possessed. He suddenly re membered his masterpice, which he had just finished,, and dreading lest the damp clay should bo frozen, he stripped himself and put all his clothing and bed coveririg ;around the figure. When his friend Cava lier entered to see him on the next day, the eculptorlay on his bed frozen to death. His Mercury also, in spite of the artist's ■sacrifice for his-arb, was frozen, and the •right arm had fallen on the floor. His friends had the Mercury cast in bronze ; but thoy resolved, in memory of the sculptor, that'it be cast without the right arm, exactly as ib, was found at hjs ds. tb v 3-M ifibpfy jfe. scad as ib is true.7""*"" '""'

RANDOM SHOTS.

[BY ZAMIEL.]

._m_ write a neishbour's name to lash. Some 3-v_mt_ought-for needful .ash. Some write to please the country olghj. &

For me an aim I never fash—

I write for fun.

The great korerorium is over once more ; members have drawn their two hundred guineas for a session of six weeks, and they are probably now on the way back bo their homes, most of them with the conscious ness that nover before—not even in the longest and wordiest session on record—was tho honorarium moro honestly earned. From thab state of serene complacency I havo no desire to disturb them, for quite apart from the negative good attaching to a session innocent of experimental and heroic legislation, I quite agree that the positive achievement of ending the Old Man of tho Sea Administration is one of which they may reasonably be proud. Tho Stout-Vogel combination'is no more ; tho Parliament that first met with such glowing anticipations of leaping and bounding prosperity, has gono down beforo a strong cry of extravagance, corruption, hard times, and increased taxa tion. Sic transit gloria mundi ! When dis appointed in its expectations, the great de mocracy is as cruel and revengeful as any eastern potentate who strikes off bho head of bhe magician who fails to perform tho trick which ho undertook. Our Financial Wizard, liko an African "rain-maker," professed his ability to order a golden shower to descend upon tho thirsty land ; but his talisman had lost ibs power, and ho must pay tho forfeit! "OIF with his head ! So much for Vogclism !" Such is the cry of tho people—an unreasoning cry, perhaps, bub nevertheless containing a rude clement of retributive justice. The head and front of tho Ministry who have just fallen was Sir Julius Vogel; his principles guided thorn ; tho lamp of his genius lighted their slippery pathway; and tho general feeling now is that, to effect a radical reform, tho head must be cub off. Protectionists may lament that in Sir Julius they loso bho most sincere advocate of their doctrines who has yet held tho post of Colonial Treasurer; but all their lamentations will nob alter tho inevitable. And thoy need nob sorrow as thoso who havo no hope, for thoro nro many good I'rotecbionisb statesmen to choose from in Now Zealand, and many good men besides whoso, opinions may not bo altogether what is wished, bub who will be quite willing to alter thorn to suit the popular taste.

Tako myself, for example. (The admir ing reader will not accuso mo of egotism and other readers' opinions aro of no ac count.) Like Sir Julius, lam neither a Freo Trader nor a Protectionist, but a bib of both ; and if I am requested by a sufficiently largo and influential deputation to contest a city constituency, it would not bo a diffi cult mabter to get me to " take the stump " as a full-fledged Protectionist. In this con nection somo curious facts havo been stated by tho correspondent of a Dunedin paper, and bhese faebs aro somewhab significant in tho present circumstances of Now Zealand. Tho writer shows by an array of figures that in Free Trade countries the value of pro perty increases immensely, whilo the prico of manufactured goods and other com modities falls ; tho very reverso being tho rulo in Protectionist countries. It is suroly worth' remarking that tho great fall in tho value of property in New Zealand took place concurrently wibh the advent to power of Sir Julius Vogel, and the recently rejected tariff proposals were well calcul ated to raise the price of certain commodi ties, and thus place us in tho exactposi tion of well " protected " people. Thoso who pay rents may bo well satisfied with such a state of things, but what of thoso who own property, who constitute the great bulk of the adult population of the colony ? I feel convinced that whichevor parby may geb the reins of Government aftor bhe geno ral election, they will have to introduce modified Protection, so tho elections will nob turn upon tho great economic question which still divides the world. Sweeping retrenchment and purity of ad ministration aro tho points to be insisted upon at this time, and I need hardly say that the best way to securo these is to re turn good, honest, capable men, duly and strictly pledged to these political reforms. The good man will be slow to pledge him self, but his word onco given will be ad hered to ; with tho political adventurer, on the other hand, pledges are only mado to be broken. Tho fight will soon begin ; I fer vently hope that the electors all over the colony will quit them like men.

" 'Tis a well-bred dog that goes down stairs when he sees preparations made for kicking him out!" I don't know who is the author of that immortal sonbimenb ; but had he lived in this day and generation I would suppose that he must have had Auckland West eleebqrabe in his " mind's eye, Hora tio," when he penned it. The valedictory ad dress of Mr Dargaville to the electors whom he has misrepresented for bwo years was about as graceful an effusion as over emanated from the plausible member for Kaihu Valley Railway. People wero, however, hardly prepared for such an evidence of good breeding as Mr Dargaville has given by his mebhod of exib. How sbupendous would be bhe sensation of sur prised delight that would permeabe bhe counbry if Mr Dargaville's masber, Sir Julius, would bake lessons in etiquette from the Kaihu Chevalier. ' .

Sir Wm, Fox has been getting some in formation from the Government Analyst at Wellington, and the temperance organs of New Zealand have been laboriously try ing bo disseminate ib—with such poor success that I feel impelled to lend them a helping hand. The astounding facts are. thab samples of "pain-killer" and "hop bibbers " have been analysed, wibh the re sult that the former has been proved to con tain 74 '4 per cent, of " absolute alcohol," and the latter 14"12 per cent, of the same " accursed thing." Along with these astonishing facts the temperance papers publish tables showing that Burton ale only contains' 9 per cent, of alcohol, brown only stout 6 or 7. per cent., the seductive champagne 5 to 13 per cent., arid the wide that is red from 15 to 25. per cent., 'while whisky and brandy reach a strength of 50 to GO per cent, of '*absolute alcohol." That is to say, hpp bitters is a more in toxicating drink than champagne, and for a proper drunkard's tipple pain-killer is superior to whiskey or brandy—the fiery spirits that are the special abomination of Blue Ribbonites. Coupling these revelations with therecent disclosures of the strong hop beer that is brewed in the King Country, I aril led to the conclusion that a Revised "Version of Proverbs is wanted, •which should read . " Look not upon hop bitters when it is red ;hop beer is a mocker; pain-killer is raging, and he that is deceived thereby is nob wise !,

But why should the teriiperance folks be so anxious to disseminate information as to the alcholic nature of these beverages and medicines ? Of course they will say their objecb is to warn the conscientious ab stainer against using" the accursed thing " even when presented in such innocent guise; buc what will be the effect on the unconscien tious teetotallers—the weak-kneed brethren who are often seen about the back doors of public-houses (spying for breaches of the law of course) ? Will not these brethren transfer their custom to the cijemist's gfcpp,

and will there nob be a " run upon hop | bibbers and , pain-killer ? Teetotallers (especially those who drink cold water in excess) will have frequent .attacks of colic, and for that painful disorder wlurtcould be more handy than a draught of pain-killer ? And a teetotaller's wife who •would scorn to own' that sJie takes' a little -wine for her stomach's sake, may quite open.ly indulge in hop bittersas acute for indigestion, lhe pro hibitionist tactics in America ha*, c had the effect of driving the trade from bhe publican tothe druggist. Ibis noticeable bhaba number of druggists hereabouts are ardent temper ance advocates, and the horrible suspicion arises thab they and the temperanco .socie ties are in league to " rob a poor man o,t his beer" and drive him to hop bitters .■nd pain-killer ! I hope somo teetotal authority will seb all doubt ab rest on this point with out delay.

While on this topic I would commend to the free and independent order of good tipplers an excellent substitute for pain killer or anything elso containing "ab solute" alcohol. It is a well-established fact that a man can make just as great a fool of himself, and can havo jusb as full a senso of degradation on ether as he can on alcohol. Out of wood can bo obtained an ctlrer, a methylio alcohol, which is lighter than, the alcohol of onlinary drinks, and which produces bhe samo effects, only more quickly, and which leaves tho drinker less broken up. A man may tako his ether, and in a few minutes ho will be wildly excited, and will want to whip all creation.. bub before he fairly gobs ready to whip anybody he will bo in a stupor—and in half an hour ho will bo as sober as he ever was in his life. He can get drunk and sober a dozen times while the rlrinketr of whisky is getting through one debaiw.li. In Ireland thero is a district where tho only drink of the people is ether and a mixture of methylated alcohol. It sells for 3d a pint, and that quantity is moro than enough for one luxurious and degrading drunk. So it has economy in its favour,which should mako ib a favourite tee total tipple. Dr. Richardson, who visited the region, says that none of tho savage acts of a man raging from alcohol are com mitted by the ether drinkers. Dr. Richard son is a man thab tho teetotallers swear by, so I expect to hear that the United Temper ance bodies of Auckland have resolved upon erecting a Grand Jubileo Ebher (cal) Hotel, n sorb of " castle in the air," where the poor man can got drunk on 3d, and feel under no necessity to go homo and kick his wifo after ib!

There has been in Otago a regular flood of " Burasiana " over tho unveiling of tho statue of the poet on the Queen's Birthday. Perhaps the best effusion which tho occasion evoked wns a pootical address, supposed to bo spoken by the statuo, which was pub lished in the " Otago Daily Times," with (tell it nob in Gath !) a glossary appended to oxplain the Scotch words to tho degenerate Scots of Otago. Tho following verses re ferring to Sir Robert Stout, Sir Goo. Grey and Mr Thomaa Bracken aro worth quot ing :—

Ah ! namosako Bab, my lad o' graco, Fair fa' your honest, bodblo face ! Proud chieftain o' the " Frcethocht" race. Why do yo flee 'em ? There's nano wha now can tak your placo

I' tho Lyceum

An' you, auld man, pale lingering star With lessening ray, conic from afar j Lord! How I wonder what you are.

O Knight o' Kawau, Wi' gab sao high abovo tlie par. Bow-wow! Bow-wow!

An' you, dear Tarn, my brither bard, A statesman-poet's lot-how hard I But Poesy's her am reward. So dinna priove: Your crambo isna sao ill faur'd As folk believe.

It has been remarked as a curious freak that tho Otago Freemasons took no part in that day's proceedings in honour of tho grandest Mason of them all. The address, which was of course written bofore tho event, had the following reference to tlio change in the drinking habits since bho days of the ploughman bard :— An' yon my brither Masons a' Como {rios a pressure o' your claw. We'll drink a miaieh o' usquobaugh— John Barley's fluid. Como Rochabitc an' Templar braw, An' hoary Druid.

What, no? Ye shak your pows sao wise ? Ye'vo nairly changed sin' my demiso. If weol-tfmed daftln yo despiso, An' barloy-brec. Good Lord! Who ever saw such guy?, Or e'er will see!

The Otago folks did nob prove themselves such " guys " as Rabbio's ghost feared, for if all accounts bo true the banquet was a regular drunken orgie. One of tho newspapers described tho scene as " a discredit to tho city." It stated that tho chiof offender Avas a well known citizen—name not given for obvious reasons—who had to be threatened with expulsion several times. As the evening advanced the disturbance grew moro dis graceful still. A gentleman proposed the toa_t of " The Ladies " in a speech which, though at times happily inaudible, was Doric, Bacchic, erotic, and hiccupic. The "nichb W- Burns" drew to a close at length, and towards midnight the company broke up singing "We aro na fou"—a declaration which few were found to credit. Ib was some time, indeed, beforo the room was quito cleared of bhe. diners, one of whom showed an unmistakeable desire bo engage in a " seb-bo" with the waiters. The Otago Scots thus showed their fervid zeal in imitating the example of Burns, as advised to do by Sir George Grey.

Mr A. J. Burns, a descendant of the poet, who proposed bhe boasb of "The Mayor and Corporation of Dunedin," took occasion to show that he had inherited his celebrated ancestor's antipathy to clergy men. He said it seemed to be the fashion amongst certain individuals nowadays to find apologies for Burns.—(A voice ; " Qh, no.") Hang the apologies, said he; the man was far above any human apology. Who were those that dared to apologise for the genius of Burns? Were they his equals? Were they his superiors?—(A voice: " No.") Were they men who had many of his faults and follies, and none of his virtues?—(Hear, hear.) And yet mini sters who were scarcely able to compose a sermon in their "am" pulpits thpught fit to find apolgies for Burns. — (Laughter). A correspondent signing himself " Hudibras " writes to a Dunedin paper, drawing atten tiqn to this case of inherited bendency, and adds :—

" But there I fear that all resemblance ends botween the pair —The point of Mr A. J. Bhrns's remarks appeared to bo that none of the poet's actions required apology ; but it is only fair to the bard to mention that the kirk sessions of his period, wfiose records are still extant, held and expressed a^ somewhat different opinion, in which, indeed, the poet acquiesced from the elevation of the cutty stooi." ;:„ "' ;',

A PARTY DEFINED.

S A select assembly of invited guests.—Wor cester. The names of. Mr and Mrs Blank and ours— Invitation; ; The servants, waiters, caterers, music, flowers- Preparation ; The carriages, the guests,the gushing greeting— ~- ■'■ ■ Adulation; The groups, and noisy talk on subjects fleeting— • Conversation; The strolling, hither, thither, promenading— Examination; Tho swift athletio dance, with bump and tread ing, Perspiration; The haste to eat and never sfgn or shrinking— Satiation; Tho oft but not always judioious drinking— Exhilaration: The ." I-never-had-such-a-nice-time at part ing- Exaggeration: §ocietv notes, the misspelled names,the darting

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES.

JUne 21.— Onehunga Wintor Meeting—Nomina tions, June 3; weights, about June 9; ac ceptances and general entries, Juno 17. June 21—Hawke's Bay Steeplechase Meeting.— Entries. May 17 ; general entries, Juno 14. June 28-Napier Park Winter.—Nominations, May 20 and June 14; weights, June 21; acceptances. Juno 23. '-,_.■_ July 9.— Wellington K.C. Steeplechase Meet ing.—Nominations, Juno 17; weights, Juno 29; acceptances, July 4. July 28 — Grand National Steeplechases.— Entries, June 23; weights, July 5; accept ances, July 18.

TO CORRESPONDENTS

F.G.H.—Ringwood, the Australian Cup winner, as a yearling, waa sold for 35 guineas, and Malua for 40 guineas, St .okwell (who ran second for tho Melbourne Cup) £51, Sheet Anchor _ 10, and Tasman £35. Blink Bonny, who will be remembered as the winner of the Caulfield Cup cost £85 when a yearling.

TURF GOSSIP.

[By Hippona.]

Racing at head-quarters is always enjoy able, and thoso turf patrons who journeyed to the A.R.C. Winter Meeting at Ellcrs lie on Saturday witnessed some genuine and interesting sport. In the early part of bhe day, bho abbendanco was small, bub by tho timo the Great Northern Steeple chase was about to be decided, there was a good muster of onlookers, and I should estimate the number at fully ..,000. Close finishes are invariably tho rulo in Auckland steeplechases, and Saturday's contest is one more to be added to tho long list, for it was nog until tho last hurdle from home was reached that ib could be determined whether Silvio or Magnesia would bo re turned tlio winner. Silvio fairly outshone himsolf in the race, and I think before tho present illegitimate season closes he wilj cnbible himself to havo a place among the " cross-country heroes " of bhis colony —if ho has nob already earned tho distinction- The success of Silvio must, in a great measure, be attributed to the manner in which Kean brought the littlo horse to the post. I had a good look at him previous to the start, and he presented a perfect pic ture of condition, every muscle in his body being clearly definod. Moro than a word of praise is duo to J. J. Russell for tho way in which lie steered Silvio, and although tho Taranaki horseman is not an artist to look at when seated in the saddle, yot when it comes to riding he can pub some of bhose to shame who dub themselves as New Zealand Corrigans. Kelly had Huntsman looking at his best.and ho partly justified tho great confidence placed in him by his owner and connections, who were s weet on him to the last. The great sur prise in the race, to tho majority, was the improved form shown by Magnesia, for after hor previous display in the Maiden Steeplechase there were few who cared to trust her. To say the least, she would ap pear to bo a very shifty customer, but on tho other hand ono who is improving each time she sports silk. In the Hurdle. Race, Victory uphold the reputation he made for himself at Takapuna, but tho country in the steeplechases was a bit too big for him, and in both races he camo down. To a young horso at the game this does a lot of good, and we will yet see him to better advantage ab tlie cross-country game. Altogether, the meeting was an en joyable one, and I am glad to hear from Mr Percival thab it will result in a profit to tho Club, but he tells me that tho totalisator receipts show a falling-off from last year of about L3OO.

The nominations for the next Melbourne Cup, which wore duly cabled this week, re mind us that many weeks will not elapse before every Australian mail will be anxiously looked forward to by the specu lative turfite in anticipation of gaining some information about tho various candidates and the most likely one to appropriate the great race of the year. Numerically, tho entries are not quito so large as last year, numbering as they do 12,5 against 145; but nevertheless they are well up to the average. New Zealand owned and bred ones are more largely re presented in the list than ever, comprising as they do all the best known por formers, excepting Maxim, and several who have yet to make a name for themselves, viz., Nelson, Enfilade, Silver Prince, Disowned, Thunder bolt, Spado Guinea, Pasha, Krupp, Too Soon, Tranter, Mann, Escutcheon, Whaka wai, Niagara, Trenton, Bangle, andSoxtant.

The first acceptance for the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase shows that out of the twenty weighted for the race eleven remain in. The only ones dropped out that could havo had any possible chance of annexing the prize are Belle and Volcano, and their de fection is not to be put down to being over-burdoned with weight. Those who remain in are a very select lot, arid the race will probably furnish an interesting contest; but nevertheless I opine that on his form last Saturday Silvio will be found capable of getting home in front. His most danger ous opponent, I think, will be Den bigh, who is a downright good one, possess ing both pace and superior jumping ability. The following are tho names of the horses who have paid up :— - ':"

st lb. ' st lb Denbigh ►'.. 11 9 Kangaroo.... 10 3 Silvio*' . . 11 9 Romeo ... 10 0 Orient ... 11 7 Mangaohane 912 Owhaoko ... 10 10 Waitangi ... 910 Victor ... 10 9 Huntsman ... 9 8 Erebus ... 10 7 ,

■"Including 71b penalty.

Trenton's full-brother Curraisseur was placed in J. Kean's hands several days ago to receive the rudiments of his education. I shall look forward to this colt making even a greater racehorse than'his famous relative.

I think Aucklanders can pride themselves in saying that it is only at Ellerslie we see two horses trained in the same stable fight ing out the final issue for first and second honours. Early and in the middle of the season we saw Niagara and Bangle (two stable companions) endeavouring to assert their superiority over each other, and the latest instance was in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Saturday last, when Silvio and Magnesia contested every inch of ground. Silvio is owned by a couple of straight-going young sports, the success of whose colours it is .always-a pleasure to chronicle, while Magnesia is the property of a wealthy patron of the turf.

Mr W. Lyons tells me that he intends taking Too Soon and Queenie over to Sydriey for next season's campaign. He finds that racing for the amount of. the stakes in New Zealand is not a paying game when the ledger is made up. On the score of breeding, nothing can be better than these pair. Steppe, the dam of Too Soon, is half-sister to the mighty Hermit, all of her progeny being able to race; while Tres Deuce (dam of Queenie) is a full sister to Calumny, It will be remembered that on being taken to Australia this famous New Zealand bred riiare proved victorious in the Hawke's Bay Handicap. Both Too §oon i$d Qu.ehj-.-ir e byAuteros, l * ■£ A.r

Ibwas a thousand with the mishap in the Great Norther" Steeplechase. At tho time, nothing m jne race was going stronger, and her. ftwmOß are confident enough to think she would have won. I must say thab just previous to the daughter of Musket coming down, j. remarked that she would about win, due in a calmer moment I have come toitno conclusion that sho had not sufficient condition to have beaten Silvio, for the pace from the moment she fell became terribly fast, and added to this the ground was all against her with such a big impose as 12st 21b. Nevertheless, I should liko to have .seen Belle stand up. The amount of bad luck her owners had with the maie in thelastHawke's Bay Sbeeplechaseand dining bhe .season now almost ab a close would no disheartening to most men. sucn speculative and plucky sports deserve a better fate at the hands of the fickle god dess Fortune.

Chrisbchurch Tattersall's Club, at their annual meeting a few days back, resolved that the Club skould hold a race-meeting in September next. The Club was started in a small way, bub ib now not only possesses far and away the best room in the colony, but a substantial amount to its credit in the bank. When shall I have bhe pleasure of chronicling a race-meeting held under the auspices of Auckland latter sail's ?

The greatesb surprise ab Ellerslie on Saburday was tho form shown by Tawhiao. His diminutive and rat-looking appearance was bhe cause of bub litble attention being paid to him as the horses left bhe paddock, and even throwing that on one side, he had nothing in the way of public per formances to recommend him. The old adage thab bhey race in all shapes was once more exemplified, for he jumped beautifully in the both races that ho won, and demon strated thab he possessed a bib of pace. Tawhiao, I am informed, was sired by a horse called Monibor.

The Committee of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club have passed a resolubion bo bhe effect " that no betting by bookmakers will be allowed on the course at bhe Sbeeple chase Meebing, and anyone infringing this regulation will be turned off the course." Now for the life of me I cannob think how the leading turf insbibubion in Hawke's Bay camo to pass such an absurd resolution. The Club have interfered in a matter that thoy have no right to, and, so far as I can see, for which there is no absolute necessity. A race-meeting carried on without betbing would be a bame ono indeed, despibe how much we may deplore bhe fact, Bebbing is parb and parcel of the sport, and so long as a bookmaker sticks to his legitimate business and pays his way, Racing Clubs have no right to interfere with his calling.

Silvio is to be shipped to Napier via Taranaki on Monday next, to fulfil his Hawke's Bay engagements. It is quite likely that it -will be some time before the littlo chestnut is seen back here again, as I am informed that it is intended to nominate him for both the Wellington Meeting and Christchurch Grand National. Silvio carried 41b over-weight in the Great North ern Steeplechase, so that he had list Gib in the saddle, or 31b less than he will be called on to carry in the big Hawke's Bay cross-country raco on Jubilee Day.

It was rather unfortunate that the Ladies' Bracelet had to be run almost in the dark on Saturday, jfor I verily believe thab ib would have been a feature of the afternoon. This is an event thab deserves a prominent place in the future programmes drawn up by the Commitree of the A.R.C. Races of this description are the means of assisting and bringing to light good amateur, riders, while further, thoy interest and help to secure a large attendance of the fair sex.

The Dunedin correspondent of the "Canterbury Times'.'remarks that Mr A. Snider's death is generally deplored by Jew and Gentile. The funeral at the Southern Cemetery was attended by about 150 persons, including tho leading members of'tho Jewish community, also Messrs J. Baxter, H. J. Walter, L. Court, D. Stuart, S. G. Smith, F. Coxhead, and other leading citizens. The mourners were Messrs Nathan, Hart, M. Moss, A. Moss, and the deceased's brother-in-law, Mr Goodheim. The Rev M. Lichtenstein performed the funeral ceremonies.

An instance of what handicappers have to contend against at the hands of some horse-owners came under my notice on the night of tho acceptances for the A.R.C. Winter Handicap. The owner of Friend ship is the case in point, and the way he heaped it on Mi* Evett's head regarding her bad treatment must even have tinglf*d the ears of the A.R.C. handicapper at distant Napier. What was the result in the race on Saturday? Why, the mare simply smothered her field when called on, and won in tho commonest of canters 1

On the strength of their good fortune wibh Silvio, his owners have closed for the pur chaseof ahalf-brother tor the Great Northern Steeplechase hero now located at Taranaki. Ho is a rising three-year-old, and sired by End ym ion.

From Wanganui I have news of the death of the thoroughbred stallion Fev_. Last season he was sent down from the Waikato to Foxton, where under Messrs Baker and Cos. supervision, he stood the season. AlthoughFev_ was agi-eat bred-un, being got by Lord Clifden from Haricot, he never gob anything of much note, and the only winners he has left behind him in this colony are Victory, Victoria and Patrician. During the time he was' located in Aus tralia he sired The Bean, who won a race or two. Fove was imported from England by our late Governor, Sir James Fergusson.

I notice by a Christchurch paper that Artillery is looking in capital health again, so that next season we niay look forward to his showing some of his best form. Stoney hurst is a regular.attendant at Riccarton. Tho condition of his understandings has not been determined, but it is thought un likely that he will stand another prepara tion. ' . ,

A somewhat strange Coincidence is to be noted in connection with the Auckland Racing Club Winter Meeting in the fact that since its inauguration three years ago, the Maiden and Selling Steeplechases have been pulled off by the One horse. In 1885, St. Dunstan proved triumphant in both races, and last year Falcon secured the two events named, while on Saturday last Tawhiao after running a dead-heat' with Omata in the Maiden, succeeded ingetting home first in the Selling Steeplechase- Omata broke down in the Maiden, which compelled his retirement for the remainder of the day. ' "* ■ ! ■'■ : is .-*■>. .

Mr G. G. Stead has asked, the Dunedin Jockey Club for full particulars' relative to the disqualification of his jockey, Jackson.' The resident correspondent of the " Canter bury Times," referring to' the.case, says : - Now that the public have had time to' ponder over the affair, the general con clusion is that the disqualification' of Jack son was very like saddling the blame on the wrong party. But from all that I can hear, Jackson admitted to the stewards that he did not ride on the first day accordino- to Mr Mason's orders ; he intended to do°so, but by : a miscalculation of distance, allowed1 the horses to get farther from him than he thought they were.

A London correspondent says :—" The sort of coup a turn-aip like Oberbn's at Lin coln means to the , bookmakers may be gathered from the fact that a .well-known leviathan admits; landing between £15,000 arid £17,000 over the race. On the after noon itself a ready-money man inTattersall's ring took £SSO odd. in solid cash, the sole payments he had to make being 40 half sovereigns Oberon to win, and 8 half-sove reigns Oberpn 1-2-3, which he laid to the stable boy who looks after the son of Galopiri and Wheel of Fortune," "■••■'.*■* :" " v "vr

ATHLETIC NOTES.

(By Act/eon.)

FIXTURES

Senior Cup.

Juno 11.—Waitemata v. Ponsonby, Auckland v. North Shore; (. rafton v. Gordon. - * Julie 38.—Albert v. North Shore; Grafton v. Ponsonby; Auckland v. Waitemata. Juno 21.—Auckland Representatives v. Eg mont. ' I Juno 25.-Gordon v. Albert: Auckland v. Pon sonby ; Waitemata v. Grafton. Junior Cup. June 11.—Waitemata v. Ponsonby; Auckland v. North Shore; Grafton v. Gordon. Juno 18.—United v. North Shore; Grafton v. Ponsonby; Auckland v. Wailemata. June 25.—Gordon v. United; Auckland v. Pon sonby ; Waitemata v. Grafton. Second Junior Cup. June 11.—Wavcrley v. University; Rovers v. Remuera; Gordon v. Waitemata.

AQUATICS.

July 1887.—Hanlan v. Tecmer. United States. October _.—" Thistle" races for the America Nov. P26.-Beach v. Hanlan for the Champion ship of the world on the Nepean. Juno 21.—Five-mile Amateur Race from One hunga.

FOOTBALL.

After a number of successive victories the Norbh Shore boys had to succumb on Satur day, tho Grafton proving too strong for them. The maroons had the best of the game, the forwards working exceedingly well. Madigan was in great form, ;and Jack Kissling proved a very valuable help. The Shore scored a try just at the ■ finish, .much to 'the -disgust of their opponents, who were not slow to express their opinion, bub bhe referee could nob have done other wise ; in fact, he should not have been called on to express an opinion. Gordon scored a win against the Waite ma .as by seven points to nothing. After a Ion"* absence Fred White reappeared on an Auckland football field, and showed that his foot has lost none of its cunning. The Waitematas looked very like carrying all before them at the start of the game, forcing the blacks down several times, bub they could not last. ~

Jordan will play forward in future for the Gordon. He scored his first try in that position against the Waitas. The Ponsonby 11., " the nuggets," were again succes.sful on Saturday, beating the United. Ib is a treat to see young Cleaver and . IcConnell play. ■ Skinner potted a beautiful goal for the Grafton 11. at the Shore—left foot from near half way. . ■ uj The Association Cup matches start this afternoon, and no doubt they will be very keenly contested. As yet the followers of that game have a very crude notion of how ib oughb to be played, and I am afraid it will'be a long time before they learn. ' The forwards are not supposed to be always together on the ball, as in Rugby. Each one has his appointed place, and he is always supposed to be in that place, ready. It is a game that requires more unselfish play than Rugby, and requires an alto gether different style. If the Association funds will run the expense I would suggest that they have printed a gCod short ac count of the game and the Dest manner of playing it for the benefit of the local players: Canterbury has accepted Auckland's berms, and will be here in August. The "N. Z. Referee " advises the Auck land Rugby Union to adopt . the new scoring rules without delay. *■; Joe War brick is. reported as playing splendidly down at Napier. Ned McCausland has joined the same club as Jack Tadelroa and Joe Warbrick, viz., the Hawke's Bay County Club.

ATHLETICS, ETC.

Dick Matthews whipped the - darkie last Saturday night. It is all bunkum for some people to speak of the stranger nob having fair play. He got more license than He deserved. .-...-,. >;_./ ~

The 20 miles professional cycling cham pionship was run at Leicester (England) on May 14th, and was won by Howell, ; who beat amongst theirs, Woodside, the Ameri can crack. The time was 60min. 54. sees.

One of the novelties in the cycling.line in England at present is the "Trailing Victoria"—or elongated cycle composed of attached Victoria tandems. As many as ten riders form the crew of a machine, and everywhere they go, as might be expected, they attract a great deal of attention..... One was lately tried at Aldershot before the Duke of Cambridge, with a view of ascer taining its possibilities for military pur-

poses. ~ ~; _ The road race for amateur runners, from Onehunga to Parnell, on Jubilee Day, promises to be a good success. It is anti cipated that a field of at least ten will start. ... . ' .. - ;"!- -

Sammy Goodman is likely to.have his hands full soon. I hear Stephenson is anxious to meet him in a six-hours' match in a short time.

STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By Euterpe.)

The final rehearsal by the Choral Society of Handel's grand oratorio, j "Samson," is fixed for Monday evening next, and the performance takes place on Tuesday even ing. I append the allotment, of solo parts;: ■ —Soprano, Miss Culpan ; contraltos, Miss Scraggs and Mrs Geddis ; tenor, Mr A- L. Edwards; basses, Mr T. Charter: and Mr Henry Brett. Herr Schmitt,' by assiduous application, has brought the chorus up to its usual high standard of'proficiency, arid the soloists are fully : equal to -he de mands made upon them. Unless,' however!, the orchestra. Will consent; to moderate their tone in solo passages, the instrumental accompaniments therein:; are 1 likely.! to impair the effectiveness of • the perform ance. At the .practices so ' far-' 'they have been j altogether too do ud and,. as ia consequence the soloists^have been unduly handicapped. Verb.sap.' ..-< stk ? . -< •'•,':(}

Robert Buchanan has written a new brie act play called "A Dark Night's 3-ridal^" which is played at the Vaudeville.' "\ 7*' "■'- '-

Sh* Arthur Sullivan is in Berlin to conduct the first performance, of 7" Patience" iii German. 7 7" ,'' ' ".', '." *

Mr Irving has himself prepared the stage version of Lord Byron's, dark and dreadful '' Werner, ">■. which ihe produces .at r the Lyceum on June 1. .-■ ii. .. \. 7i*• .*

Nelly. Farren has found a new'character in Siriike in " Nicholas' Nickleby, " ', which she is going to play for her benefit.. Old playgoers.'" '"' ' '•'■ !'" :-

. The. late Mrs Wood, the author of $ East Lynne," left the manuscript of a long novel and of a number of short stories, writ ben in the character, of '_ Johnny Ludlow."

Professor A. H. Sayce is bo be the Hibbert lecturer during the present year. The sub ject of his lectures, which are soon to be de iivered in London and Oxford, will be "As syrian and; Babylonian Religion." ' " 3A *->'•'•■

Macmillan and,., Co.. haye projected- a "New History of' English Literature, "' A pf which the second volume, in chronological order, Elizabethan literature, by George Sainstbury,;will:Soonbe published, j 7;"

Professor J. P. Mahaffy is shortly to pub lish a new book on the social life of Greece. It'will embrace a review of the life and' strength of all the Hellenistic kingdoms,: from the days of Alexander to the Roman conquest, especially Egygt and gyria,

THE UNKNOWN

n-spvtji3 is -\vjiiin E trr_r* B the grubs which are _v _? Ret SffsJS**. ■ II several thint&^hffl-*.. iß^<«_P*U. - X them-for instan.» _° md bsA^J .1! salt, carbolic aa c ? d Ce' e^?ng ~ f to do this; cspecia--] _lnstanc^ H_l» H of..round Sgftf* I^' I is infected, and it woild h\ Tqtow-io» ■'* B any single inai^ffife^fej^* I perhaps one of -_T_. -^*®4'rari,,.. )0 .ot.-.. RI trouble himself; sSl»>^^ 1 you a fresh breed-effi_?*W_S-'''*B' been troubled withSSW. iffs?! 6 H my Pot Plants. rd^S^'fiSft*' B •arrest- their' _a*_i..--i: -***■•$?- that r*- H the f Plants:^k\ a„| eolaE, 0 tr?«-S I roots repotting witS'nW^r^a-fliS: B compulsory laws,'dealinf SS_» o&; all sorts. If not, careful SS W v the mercy of carelesaandSS^tßS-. Best Shape to Trim Live ifcfetfJS. -It is the.natiireo£;aU -eeS/J^V brow outftoif bianch-^^ra^i ■■'. the ground .will extendtoefaXfe^t trunk, and it. is also natural whS ffi &_•■s> large and the- upper branchtf^&ft-.■■ the lower, for the lower bran_*S"%l:: excluded from'the_g_l" r|u C tt|!M-' : when we attempt to trim.ahe&_|s far as possible, follow™i_S^ft» vigorous the branch 09 closeMS ■ We must be careful to prevent mvW; upper -braiichcsextendiiig i be*o _____% . ones; mfact, to kdep tSe lower» vigorous we must be careM-oHoS '•" oiiite^ as.short..as.those* ahovc-rti^Jfe'.-'>■ hedge should be properly B_ape'a li^il1! '.I -young, trimming itLao™:huUo-.piSS'*i . leaving the bottom, of the hffi.ffl ■ho top, and thetop'shouldbeSS 1 higher jn the'middle, much/liketo'S_ A ...letter A, slightly rounded htthetopTt^* 7 Preparing thb\S«£i;:;fot7^^||y^ !! ; The' future .welfare ?k)f trees ofi^iy. depends much on the _preparation" o f soil before planting, one,of the main qi tions being depth of hole ari .''^OftS^ pulverisation, of .the soj^w^iia' I.!^^'.. in immediatecontactwith therootß.wp M fj 9 who plant ,a tree just about in' tie 7^ manner as they wouldpub a*pos.<in>.te ground,' with just a hole l__rge*'e_!cmgli*l.r its reception, need never look fof,a g«xl result. Whero large'orchards 'are ih}_ planted^' the ground, should be' thofoii*' ploughed to as.gr-at.a.deiith^s/.^sible, Where i the bottom is very-hard, three cr four ;horses should bet attached* ti ttj plough, and- the sub-ploughshould .-folio's-,. Where it is not. convenient ■ to'plotighit. whole of .the ground now; for the--__*•]; the lines; of the trees *■ could:be,done to j breadth of from five. to. six*: : feet,>ploiii>_. ing the balance when more" conveiiicti. After the ploughing, all .the; holes fort, a trees should be dug. - The -liggifag'shcti!. ..take place some time before ■: (Mj__s im planted, so thab the soil may be thon. oilj pulverised before .planting*-'_o_*mf_c_ Where specimens or ornamental trees. _h be planted, holes cannot be mad.* too _$p or too large ; tlie greater tlie d-jftkaMtk : better the soil, tne: fastera_3/t-S_'i(. grow, and in a few years:will tt_ke.spleni_J speoimens. '■. , ' r > Drainage. , <%% ■ _Tew Zealand has hardly grown to fail age yet, still, 'of all the'inecknical o'pi* tions applied to land,1 there iis :i none el greater benefit; for in. wet soils it is wk J to rapidly .take .-off-.surplus:1 water, .anda i dry sandy soil tho latter is hdhefit&i by &ff condensation from theatmosplicre in pas* I ing through the pipes.., Bub do*-not* diiij 1 the drain-tile. ..Let- the'atmosphere __■ municate ab the upper end witHtifotile, ij ' bringing a right - angle up ito the surface cf the -soil and *> out 'of ..he*, .w* 0* , ploughs. This can bd done >_.. 1 a km ■ line, for the importance of atmospheric, pressure : upon ...water!.:ru .nr.Vd,1-"1 the inside of drains .consisted■-. to fact that, ib causes the latter;to run:mnei quicker than if the drains were'withouoi This is how not to: bury drains up; 'and m hope ib will be-remembered and themCintb of the drain hi I questiom-not be allowed to be grown over and■chbk.d:up'M_t.h'grfe or other, matter, > to'■ prevent- -__. effecta« atmospheric pressure. :*■ We have sea drains laid very scientifically,■.thoi.gh.ro'w so, bub without one half.-the eff^of thar capacity through not -; being-^ properly done: ■' The■ * meohanicaliaction "of drains on soil is :wonderfd|:for-7the -action oi water and air in passing from the sunais down to the tile breaks'away the soil W by bit until the whole-soil! bmmM tiling, whatever be the depth oftefales, becomes, so to speak, thorOtighly%enchetl, and-better done'in time'than' if. done/by the spade, because doneifiner, :ancl*w.t' the result of much better di.in^graW SOil. " ■..-.: ■' '■-■•' 1 Howmuch'l wish thcpedple.6f this conn try knew 'how^nd^po'Ss-iSa^l'tEemeaMto, drain the land-knew its benefift-aijg impbrtarice.' *-How many:crops^W™ grown that are'now-deficientm m-BPJW pert-ies.' - -HowmuchT_lkah-'eould tedrap away from our soil by'plateintdr^^ a depth of four feot-from' the' S u|ade'qt^ ground, and hence we may-continue tow; logise "the'-advantege-'of-draining by m - we are exhausted, and then canno; W one-thousandth.part enough for tbe . • of drainage; r ■' ■ - ~_ ,* '.„ _„*, "I think I hear you say,' "Onrbncbooig require drainage." ;la?nswerth<at';aearlyw unless very light >poi_ms-sbflsi'are hen, fttea by drainage, beeanse'ef r.r. given,- You may hob be ablo to , * with this any-practical resnl > throng » convenient circums-ances^ufcjonfci)^ myiiieZ Do' not lay if 'advocates. sp ndm| 'useless money.' - -Koper^d^ed^ early land, and the value of early lanfl)" know "SB Well '."&•• atiyonW can .^£ : It's no use in plantmg'early fruits OT crop^of'_hrki.id.on Itod^that are hteA is the earliest crops that pay W*. » earliest rfrmts''t-ia-. t>^.M\, «££& and drainage to Mhd that is natwallj^i^ whiit-^irheffiepfoflts?.lntense! .^, It'ceases to be': 'tod,fb^« !ffctaS is "dry, 'AVet teM^'ort^oihox ... well as in being late. x '^.aj-^sg vif^-.ah.dt^^ brush--.'Cu- your-drain^ aW ever put* ih'the brush a 'foot d^paja.j^ wehave used W^£W_?#* toeri'y-arsdn'exami^titn.pW.^^ bettefthah it Wif^&gffim itf _!state of P^^SS^l^ for swampy l^^^'^S^^m ■ solid- ;The;idrate7bn' ; su^fe^l little use.- Brush'is'-mnclrbettci,^ , last for years. . "• - ;■; i -••■■'*. •.;•!■ ."-'7.7, a..,-,7«; W-A..Z

THE PICTURE Killed Her.

There is a famous modern piet^^; cow of John the Terribg Mlo murdered his son ina a _-:'V]l c om J suddenly discovers* the.cnme-hf t)a( . m.tted. The expression S*§^f hoi^ of a madmari', with'a c""0^- A 'after h a and consciousriess^trikpyi blr^ son has sunk. at ''W%WMotti intenselyWlistic,anditg^ W _ne occasion a hW*g^ the sight of ißhat she edo^ hcp i s turf. .pot/ According^^hiSjW nSgr^ Was subsequently removed to md ladies not admitted jg V® W* medical attendant - ■

____ MiomAm' mmm& Sill; satueijai; . une ' il> «*■*■

2