partner for life. Delicacy naturally revolts from making public such peculiar intentions, but not wishing to employ the agency of relations or friends in such a matter—the advertiser trusts that this may meet the eye of some lady willing to communicate on the subject—who will not hesitate to confide in the honour of a gentleman, and address him through the post only, directed to X.Y.Z., Argus Office, stating age, complexion, religious denomination, profession or business of her parent, number of brothers and sisters, her own preference for a tall or a short man, and for a life in the town or country, and the objects of her greatest interest both as regards sentiment and occupation."
There is one omission in the foregoing which intending applicants are recommended to supply i.e., to require, in addition to the "profession or business of the parent" (evidently referring to the father), some particulars as to the accomplishments, temper, and idiosyncrasy of the possible mother-in-law. Whether the gentleman of "respectable connexions and reserved manners" succeeded in securing the " personal charms" for which he yearned so ardently was never communicated to the public, but it is to be hoped he did. In the last chapter a resume was given of the regularly established sports and pastimes; but independent of these, special amusements were occasionally got up, mainly through the exertions of some enterprising publican wishful to do an extra profitable stroke of business. T h e following advertisement thus intimates some " great expectations" in this line, to come off on the Boxing Day of 1850: — CHRISTMAS SPORTS. " Christmas comes but once a year, And when it comes it brings good cheer."
HENRY CONWAY, Travellers' Rest, Collingwood, R E S P E C T F U L L Y invites all lovers of fun and frolic to the U N R I V A L L E D SPORTS With which Boxing Day will be celebrated at his establishment. The commencement will be a
GOAT RACE, In which eight thoroughbred Billy-goats will run for half a mile ; each regularly caparisoned with saddle, bridle, etc., and ridden by a boy all booted and spurred. Several hurdle leaps to be taken in rare Newmarket style. The feat of
CLIMBING THE GREASY POLE, Prize, a Silver Watch, is the next part of the performance ; after which
T W O HUNDRED PIGEONS Will be shot at ; the best marksman to receive a suitable reward
THE RAT H U N T Follows, in which three hundred trained rats willfigure,and from which the greatest amusement may be anticipated.
T H E PIG W I T H T H E GREASY TAIL And many other O L D ENGLISH G A M E S Will wind up the day, which will be one of the pleasantest Boxing Days ever spent in Port Phillip.
A considerable number of persons collected to witness the performance, but though the people were there, the goats and the rats, the pigeons and the booted and spurred boy jockeys, forgot to put in an appearance, and the consequence was a general "sell." T h e place selected would be an inconvenient sporting arena, though it was then m u c h of an open c o m m o n . T h e Travellers' Rest r , was a quaintly-constructed tavern, years aeone demnlicberi <-^ „• „.,„.. . VT. , , ' J ™ ' " d & o n e aemolisned to give way for the structure n o w known as King s College, in Nicholson Street, Fitzroy, opposite Faraday Street 1A T h e now so well-known White Hart Hotel at the ton nf B n n r u c* * • , . . J-J-UICI, at m e top ot riourke Street, is prone on gala days r 1 . to sport a great variety of buntine in honour ^f ,„L„t nonour „, V of whatever m a y be on, and as an invitation to the .,. . , • A public to step m and test the qua tv of its tin • K,,t ;• • . P ts r f, L k-ii r!f fo,o ,u t 1. ' P °P riet or would never dream of getting up such a bill of fare as the following—pro ected and i«i^ri v, AT n , ., /» T- , 8 JIU ccuea a n a. , , , ... . , t J a issued by a Mr. Henry L m e h a m , w h o "bonifaced" f the same establishment, though under a rather T rlifrW^nt- tL .u , • b <>• uuner a aitterent face more than thirty years ago :—
