Mr De Cobain. Illustrated London Letter.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 108, 7 May 1892, Page 4 (Supplement)

Mr De Cobain.

Illustrated London Letter.

(From Our London Correspondent.)

London, March b. «0n There Comes a Hungry People.' I- the heel of the Czar keeps his people down, the spur of the Kaiser goads his to rise. . Vilhelm has an evil tongue ! His epeech on the 24th has dropped like a fuse in Germany, setting liro to the inflammable material of Socialism—or, as somo would word it, anarchy ; you see everything i s point to view. An important Berlin paper, in printing the coercion speech, adds the significant note, Article 27 of bhe Prussian Constitution —'Every Prussian has the right to express his opinion in speech, writing, or in pictorial form.' Another influential print, quoting the Emperor' 3 advice to those discontented with his Governmenb ' bo shako tho dusb of Germany irom off their feeb,' says, ' ab the present moment, if all the discontented were to leave Germany hardly anyone would be left except the Catholic party and ib 3 adherenbs.' The day following bhe speech a meebing of workmen was held in a suburb of Berlin, and was addressed by leading Socialists in violent language. At its conclusion a cry was raised, ' Let us go to bhe Emperor, the Emperor must see us,' and to Ctesar the appealers went. Halting ab bhe town hall ehoubs of ' work ' wero sounded, and then an attempt was made to enter the Lustgarten in front of the palace. Tho police resisted the attempt, and then the military came on the scene, when tho officer in command orderod his men to ' draw' and drivo tho people out of the Square. This, after some freo fighting, was accomplished. In tie evening the unemployed in gangs of hundreds Backed shops, and broke windows and looted where able. The next day the scenes were renewed, and tho police were powerless in the face of tho large force of rioters. Then ab 2.30 the castle gates flew open, and tho Emperor appeared on hcrseback, attended only by two aides-de-camp and two grooms. He scanned the people seriously, and, as if in admiration of his cool courage, they cheered him with ' Hochs ' (Hurrah), pressing in on him until there was scarcely room for his horse to pass. Ten minutes after tbe Empress Frederick and Princess Margaret appeared, and were also much cheered. Tho rioting was renewed again and again later in the day. The old affair closely rosembled the riots in London some few years ago. It was fulminated by the Socialists, whoso wabchword was the Emperor's injudicious speech. In the Emperor's speech he said he had hitherto been holped by bhe firm conviction thab "Ho" (tho deity) our old ally of Rossbach and Deunewitz will not leave me in the lurch. . . No. . . On the conbrary we aro called to greatness and to glorious days.' I'will lead on. . . . My course is the right one, and I shall continue to steer it.' Coek-a-doodle-do ! ! The To Deum used to bo turned on by the old Emperor after his victories— hi 3 grandson takes time by the forelock. In Memoriam : Rossini. The centenary of Rossini wakos echoes of Jus personality and his music. The brillianb - musician was born ab Pesaro, in Romagna, Italy, on Feb. 29th, 1792. He was a leapyear bairn, and had, therefore, only a birthday once in' every four years. This was an annual joke between him and hisintimatos, who used to laughingly treat him as a young fellow in his teens when ho had long passed tho allotted span. Rossini camo of an artistic stock. His father and mother wore both merabersofatheatrialcompanyir, which tho former played the horn and the latter sang. He began his career a3 a boy play- ; ing .second horn to his father, bub his fine * voice obbained an engagement for him as treble in a church at Bologna. When his voice changed he wa3 placed as a student in a school of that city, and thero shadowed his future eminence as a composer. Indeed, be was but 18 when his firsb opera was per.

•vormed. The firsb opera which told the world that a great composer had risen was -Tancredi,' which was produced during the Carnival at Venice in ISI3. But his crowninc glory was ' Guillaume Tell,' brought out in 1829. When the opera wa3 in rehearsal he lodged in a wretched garret. His subsequent wealbh was amassed more through judicious speculations on the Bourse than through bis music. 'Ouillaumo Tell ' followed on a long series of varying successful works, and after its production he seemed to have lost the subtleby of his creative power, and published very libble. He would never speak on the subjecb of his cessation from labour, except occasionally to say ho disliked work and despised fame, and absolutely refused to write for the stage. But in IS.I his spirit came tc him as with a rush, and the world was enriched with the glorious ' Stabat Mater.' It was in Paris thab he spent his declining years. His naturo assimilated with the (Jaie citie, where his society was sought after, nob only or. account of his fame, but for his humour , and wit, that never did discredit to his

amiability, and for his ever-ready good nat"...

A Lucks Dog !

The career of the Nitrate King goes far to prove tho theory of luck for good or ill. Coionel North's personal history is pretty well known; how from an employee of a Leeds engineering firm at 30s a week, ho, given bhe opportunity in Soubh America, with a few vigorous strokes wrobe himself millionaiie. In his day oi small tilings he was a keen courser.'and by intuibion understood bho points of a good dog. Wibh

fortune at his feeb he could indulge in his proclivities, and on his return homo he took ab once an active part in bho sport of tho plains, bought the bost dogs that money could command, and cook a front seat as a runner. On tho plains of Altcar his grand dog Fullerton beat the record, eclipsing tho deeds of tho famous Master McGrath, Lord Lurgan's mighty black, which won tho Waterloo Cup in 1808 and 1869 against Cock Robin and Bab tho Bowster. The colonel bought Fullerton as a puppy at ono of the Barbican repository sales for SoO guineas. The hereditary theory is borne signally oub in bhe history of Fullerbon. His siro was Greentinck, ono of the gamest, stoutest dogs ever slipped. He was presonb ab bhe triumph of his son. Fullerton inherits all his sire's grand points, for ib was by his power of stay and lion-heartedness thab ho won tho blue ribbon of the leash from Fitz-Fife after a lasb course, which for sheer stubbornness and length has never boen exceeded on Altcar. Colonol North's luck was at its best. In addition to securing tho first parb of his treble event beb of £30,000 to £-00 aboub winning the Waterloo Cup, 'City and Sub,' and Jubileo Stakes, ho won a good stako over Fullerton's success. Then Simonian, who won tho ' Purse' for him last year, yesterday won tho piabe, and Red River, the kennel mato of Racecourse, carried off bhe purse. Every dog has his day. Fitz-Fifo is a second season dog, Fullerton a fourth season, bub so closely did Fitz-Fife run his rival that the issuo hung in the balance until with ono vigorous effort Fullerton pulled down his hare and so won his laurels. Perhaps the day is only in tho oiling when such deeds as these will be poinbed bo as bhe records of a barbarous ago. Bub ' 'Twas a famous victory.' A Strange Disappearance. The Ilminster bank manager, MrW.R. Liddcrdale, made a sudden disappearance when on tho eve of marriage, and immediately the wildest probabilities were launched on a curious public. Ho had been kidnapped by a woman s-corned, was in her yacht a prisoner, had died in a yacht ab Bea, and had had instant burial. But now theso marine fancies aro dissipated, bho missing link to the matrimonial chain is alive and well, and in extremely eomforbablo circumstances ! There seems no one to blame bub the financial official himself.

Wo await further enlightenment, and so does the bride ! ±Mr Lidderdale is Scotch, aud a distant relative of Mr Lidderdale, governor of the Bank of England. Perhaps ho went 'ower tho border and awa wi' a "Jean" of Hazeldean.' Suddsn failures under like circumstances are not unknown. The disappearance of Colonel Cordon a good many years ago has never been accounted for. He" was the officer who broughb the young African princess, the Queen's god-daughter and name-sake, to this country, and who remained in official charge of her ebony highness. He had rooms in a street off the Strand, and went out late ono evening for a stroll, going towards the Embankment. He has never been heard of since, nor has tho slightest clue to his fate ever been received. Horatio no Longer a Unionist. Liko some other famous men, Mr Horatio Bottomley began his public career as a journalist and law reporter. Having push and an active brain, his advice was often sought for by schemers of papers, he being accredited with a certain prescience in such ventures. He is accredited with the inception of the gigantic scheme which resulted in the notorious Hansard Union. Mr Bottomley's connection with that big gamble has given him tho temporary entree of Bow-streeb through the little slip of paper known as a summons. Summonses have also been taken oub againsb Sir Henry Isaacs and Joseph Isaacs—brobhers—and Charlesl)ollm3--on the count of conspir-

ing to cheat and defraud the Hansard Company, Limited, of upwards of £30,000. Mr Bottomley was an aspirant for legislative honours, but was unsuccessful in con-

besbing the Hornsey Division with Mr H. C. Stephens, the well-known ink manufacturer. He is 35 years of ago. Sir Henry Isaacs was Lord Mayor of London 1888-90. Ho is a fruit and steamship broker of the firm of M. Isaacs and Sons, Eastcheap and Valentia, Spain, and also in tho firm of M. Isaacs, Sons, and Shaw, fruit brokers, Hull. Sir Henry was Sheriff of the City of London in tho Jubilee year, when ho was knighted. In bhat year bho nowmade knighb was one of tho celobrities in the ' World,' by which it appearod that he was a poeb, vocalist, and musician of no mean order, and that in his handsome residence in Bolsi/.e Park, he had gathered together a fine library, the selection of which bespoke him a man of culture and parts. His ode on the deabh of the Princo Consort camo out in 1862; his ' Lone Star ' was tho work of his riper years —years which nuw numbor the tale of 63. An Un.motiierly Mother. Tho Mrs Montagu who now awaits her trial for the death—not to call ib murder— of her littlo three-year-old girl, is the wife of a son of tho late Lord Robert Montagu by his first wife. Tho Socioby for Prevention of Cruolby to Children has also an indictmenb againsb bhis modern Mrs Trimmer, who shut up hor child of tender years in a dark and su(locating closet, a sketch of which is hero given. Tho closoting of children is no doubt too often done by parents, but tho inhumanity of the present case was the tying of tho child to rings in the wall so that she could not reach tho door to raise any alarm. It is to be hoped that, despite the high social position of tho accused, justice will bo done according to tho merits of the case. Lord Robert Montagu, the father-in-law of Mrs Montagu, was an eccentric outsido his blue-book life. He hold curious domestic theories, and social

also. Ho married, secondly, his nursery maid, having boon attracted, so the story goes, by her pretty feeb and ankles. Tho maid lias blossomed into a woman of society, gracious, mannerly, and respected In Gra_k*t.l Memory. lb is appropriate thab in the closing days of tho firsb County Council of London thero should be unveiled in tho Council Chambor a bust of the man to whoso life's work tho Council owes its origination. It Mas tho consuming purposo of his career to slay tho Corporation and the vestries, building up in their placo a representative Council directly elected by the people arid working for tho people. To tho day of his death he enjoyed tho distinction of boing tho besb

hated man in tho 'city.' When the Council was constituted ho was appointed Deputy-Chairman of bho Council, and as an inducement to dovoto his wholo timo to the work he was voted a salary of £2,000 a year. It will bo remembered that ho died suddenly from heart disease while on a mountaineering excursion at Chamounix, Switzerland. Mr Firth was a Yorkshircman, ovory inch of him, and a Quaker to boob. The bust unveiled by Sir John Lubbock lasb week is of white marble, and was executed by tho sculptor with the aid only of photos. Ib bears bho inscription : — J. F. B. Firth, M. P., Born Feb. 21, 1842. Died Sepb. 3, 1889. Firsb Deputy-Chairman of County Council. In grateful momory of his eminent services both irabbe esbablishmenb and organisation of the first directly-elected Municipal Council for the Metropolis. The Flight of an M.P. On Friday night, in bhe Commons, bho speaker cailed oub the name, in a tono of interrogation, *Mr De Cobain.' There was a pause, but no one answered, and the seat usually occupied by the truant member for East Belfast was seen to be filled by Mr Sydney Godge. Mr Balfour's motion of expulsion againsb Mr Do Cobain was then carried into eflcct, and the seat for East Belfasb was declared vacant, its representative having failed to meet thocharges againsb him. The errant member, Edward Samuel Wesley De Cobain, was for five years Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast, and a Deputy Grand Master for Ireland. He was also cashier bo bhe Belfasb Corporation. His father %vas a Wesleyan minister, and he himself was prominent iv pious service,

having conducted temperance and mission servic-3 in Belfast. He was 54 years old, obtrusively stout, medium-sized, sandy hair with a middlo parting, brown eyed and sallow. Ho always wore a double-breasted frock coat, and at all seasons a solitary white carnation in his buttonhole