BY THE WAY.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 267, 2 March 1889, Page 4

BY THE WAY.

Thebe is a young man in Gisborne occupying a menial station who only wants an opportunity to distinguish himself. While in Gisborne he ministers to the wants of others, but a short time ago he paid a visit to Wellington and he determined to see a bit of high life. He therefore put up at a good hotel, gave out that he was travelling for his health’s sake, and with no more exertion on his part he was “in the swim.” Taken in hand by a fellow boarder who took him for some distinguished personage, he was invited out to musical and other evenings, made love to his host’s daughters and generally enjoyed himself. At length when his money began to give out he had to tear himself away from his pleasant surroundings, so he departed with the good wishes of his erstwhile entertainers, and taking with him the fond affection of at least one society belle, but not before he had extended a general invitation to his quondam friends to “ look him up ” should any of them come to Gisborne.

Sadly the youth returned to his duties in Gisborne, for he would fain have continued his gay life. He had at least received a practical lesson in the enormous advantages of a little bit of cheek and what is commonly known as “ putting on side,” and no doubt when he next takes a holiday he will reap the benefit of his experience. There is of course a certain amount of danger of being discovered, but that only adds spice to it. As a matter of fact one of this youth’s friends did pay a visit to Gisborne, and recognised, or thought he recognised, in the young man’s face the likeness of some one he had seen before. “Have I not seen you before somewhere?” “Not that I know of,” replied the youth. “Oh, I thought I met you in Wellington at *s, but 1 must be mistaken. Were you ever in Wellington?” “No,” came the brazen faced answer, for he saw the only way to get out of the difficulty was to deny his identity point blank. Nor was the •tranger able to find the young man with whom he had hobnobbed in Wellington '

The wonderful disclosures before the Times-Parnell Commission with reference to certain letters alleged to have been written by members of the Irish Nationlist party show how easy it is to dupe people. No doubt the Times, before it paid for them, put those letters to a strong test in order to ascertain whether they were genuine or not, but in spite of all precautions the Times was what is vulgarly called— sold. The important part which letters play in Court cases and their tendency to turn up at unexpected moments to the writers’ detriment should teach people to be more careful in putting pen to paper. A speech or conversation can be easily explained away, but once a thing is put down in black and white it is very difficult to argue round it. To have it brought up again at some future time and to your disadvantage is never pleasant. When the occasion is a political one or an action for breach of promse the pleasure is not at all increased.

Speaking of letters in breach of promise cases, these are generally of a sentimental turn, but are not always so. 1 came across a case the other day in which the letters were of a decidedly pious nature. After a series of letters containing a strange medley of love religion the gay promisebreaker wound up with the following:—“Dear Susan and Christian Sister, —I feel with regards marrying you, Susan, which is a very great responsibility on your part, and also on mine, now I have asked you to be my wife, which I find was too hasty ; but the Lord will forgive me ? and as a true Christian friend willnotyou? . . .

I have proved you love me very dearly, and I have been putting your love with mine from time to time and find yours has been a great deal stronger than mine, and I am not worthy to have you for that reason.”

Since the Te Kooti affair took first place in the public mind there has been no chance for any other subject. The great question that was agitating everybody’s mind just before I write was, “ Where’s Te Kooti ?” Were it not so serious, it would be a grand joke to hear that a force of 200 men, or more, had left their homes and business all on purpose to vindicate the law by the arrest of a man who was described to be as docile as a lamb and as meek as a kitten ! But how much more laughable to hear that when they arrived to arrest him he had given them the slip! How Te Kooti must laugh in his sleeve—that is, if he wears any article with that commodity in it—at the merry dance he led his captors. Had he got clear away his mana would no doubt have received fresh impulse. The Maoris simply laughed at the idea of Te Kooti being arrested. “ Why, he would vanish completely 1” said a native to me when he heard of the expedition. And did he not do so ? “ ’Taint a knowin’ kind of cattle that is ketched with mouldy corn.” The Government cannot at least complain that Te Kooti was pressed too heavily.

It is extremely certain that the Government would never have moved in the matter but for the determined stand taken up by the settlers. I have heard it rumored that an individual higher than the Government bad something to do with it, but I cannot vouch for the genuineness of this. There could be no doubt, however, as to what the settlers intended to do. They were nobly backed up by the townspeople, who would no doubt have, had a slight financial gain by Te Kooti being allowed to come. This, however, they were content to forget for the general good. I was particularly struck with the speech of Bev. Wallace at the town meeting. It was no doubt a speech which went to a great ength for a clergyman, but it was a speech that at once went to the hearts of those present, as was testified by the hearty way in which h.e was cheered. Some men would consider the doth an obstacle to everything tending to boitiiiuoe, but the aptake

showed that though he was a clergyman, he was none the less a man.

It is wonderful how children are affected by a fear of things they don’t quite understand. “ Den’t say Te Kooti,” said a little girl with bated breath to her sister. “ You should say Jfr Te or Hr Kooti or he might kill you !” “ What are you frightened of mamma ?” queried one little midget. “Of Te Kooti, my dear; he is a bad wicked man.” “ Never mind, mamma, I’ll not let him touch you,” said the brave little fellow. Numerous instances of this nature might be brought forward and no doubt that during this scare there has evidently been a great deal of terror among women and children. This is only natural and though not alone a certain local paper, but the whole press of the colony, should call them “ fools ” for it no one can tell how much anguish women have suffered during the past week. These people should have our pity not our blame. That even men saw cause for anxiety is apparent from a sentence of Captain Porter’s despatch, which shows that resistance if not an outbreak had been anticipated. It was as much as anything to give confidence to the more timorous that the agitation against Te Kooti was begun.

Whether confidence will be fully restored by his being allowed to escape, even though he was eventually captured, remains to be seen. From an incident related at an Auckland meetthe other day the Premier is apparently not unused to such surprises as Te Kooti gave his arresters. The speaker related how some twenty-five years ago he was one of the members of Major Atkinson’s Bushrangers at Taranaki. On one occasion they were called out at break of day to charge a Maori village. Everything was perfectly quiet, and when the order was given they charged as fast as they could and carried the village, without losing a single man—or married man either—and they were intensely delighted to find'only empty whares. Delight seems too far from expressing the feelings of those taking part in the present expedition when they found the bird flown. It is certainly not pleasant to be matched 120 miles for—smoke. But no doubt they are mollified since the arrest. Mask.