ABOUT PRESIDENT KRUGER,

In a aemi-serious, semi humorous, private letter recently received in Melbourne from a resident of Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal, the writer (according to the Argus) says:— "l am still existing in Pretoria— a political volcano, a botanical paradise, and a social desert, all combined. The most interesting thing in Pretoria is ' Old Stick-in-the-Mud ' down the street. I refer to His Honor the President of this Republic. The other day tho Full Court gave a decision ' agin the Government,' so my amiable neighbor save all the judges the sack. They pointed out that undor the Constitution he had no power to dismie? them. Kruger replied that he had altered the Constitution, and would remove them by force if they did not leave the Bench. He has got affairs, both internal and external, into an awful tangle, so he thought it would be a good idea to get the Orange Free Stato people to help him, and went to Bloernfontein, the capital, with this object in view. (I should explain that • Orange Free Stato ' is only a fancy name, as you have to pay for your fruit there the same as elsewhere.) Kruger made a great speech at Bloemfon tein. He stated that if the two Republics stood shoulder to shoulder they would stand firm though the world were united against them ! And he went on to say that at the Raid and other times they had shot the Englishmen through the head, and he hoped they would shoot just as straight next time. He then referred to his relations with the Home Govern ment, and spoke of the Queen as ' a vile old woman.' This produced a roar of disapproval, and the crowd took up 'Rule Britannia' in a manner that did not please Mr 'Stick-in-tho-Mud.' When quiet was restored the old humbug concluded his speech by urging all present to become converted. Like Mr Gladstone, Kruger dates back to time immemorial, aud it may be said that age does not lessen nor custom stale the infinite variety of his boundless stupidity. (This refers to Kruger, not the other fellow). The birth of Kruger, like most pre-historic events, is shrouded in uncertainty. Any how, he is an alarming exception to the rule of the survival of the fittest. 