MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 30, 25 March 1878, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Lyttelton Times bus lizard of rather a good thing that happened in one ot the ue country townships (not a hundred miles Irom Christchurch) a low nights ago. It s ems that a travelling company of variety people had engaged tho ball for the nig|it, but had failed to muko any satisfactory arrangements about the pinno contained therm. Now tho owner of this pinno hud a doeidod objeotiou to letting it to nnv show of the kind withoat boing first paid, hii former experiences having taught him thnt it is hotter to bo sure than sorry. So he sent round word that he rquirol so much on the nail, or they could not, have the use of tho piano. Buc this rather tickled the Inney of the company, ns tbey hsd nlrendy taken nan paid for tho hall and wore in possession of iho key, nnd con« sequently of tbo piano. Anyuow they determined to dispute nny claim to tho instrument on tlio ground thnt they had hired it with tho hall. And in tbo afternoon thoy had a decidedly suecossful robenrsnl. nnd went to tho hotel to tea quito delightod nnd in Uill possession of the koy. But thoy bnd hardly loft tho hall when a youth anpearcd from somo remoto ton gions under tbo stn.o, nnd quietly removed tbo "action"~*in Oliver words, tbo insido ol Iho piano— and retired with it benoath tbe stage, carefully closing tbo plunking after him. In tho evening thero was a very nico house, and the lady who was to sing came on the stage and looked fuscinnting, wbilo tho pinniet at once plunged in medias res frantically thrashing tho keys with his fingers. But, of course, no sound camo forth, and for a lew seconds, tbo would bo singer nnd pianist looko I aghast while tho nulienee titteroJ, somo of thorn having heard of the joke. Tho lady then retired with chagrin and tho pianist with disgust. Strangely enough, however, tho owner of tho instrument was present, nnd a yery fow minutes sutlioed to set things right, but not beforo bo received bis usual balf a guinea. Tho "action" was soon restored and everything then went smoothly. Tho Otago Daily Times has boen trying its bnnd at prophesying, and this is tho result :— "Looking forwnrd to tho time win n Farmer Giles' new boru s< n and he r shall attain his majority, in tho year of graco 188 D, and with his M.A. doaree of the groat Otngo University, enter on the possession of a magnificent landed ostnte, wo may indulgo in visions of what New Zealand will then bo, and picture it somewhat in this wise: With a population considerably over three millions, we shall havo at loast throe chief ports, and cities with ovor two hundred thousand inhabitants in each*— Auckland, Welling, ton, and Duuedin, and the greatest of tttoso will bo Dunedin, which will bo tho London, if Wellington bo tho Liverpool, of Now Zealand." It does not mention Christohurch, thinking probably that in twonty*»ono years the old cathedral city will hnvo disappeared •■ in tho swamps Wuimakarri," us another southern paper vra*, once- kind enougU to pre-* diet.