LONDON GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 118, 18 May 1895, Page 12 (Supplement)

LONDON GOSSIP.

(From Oub, Special Correspondent.)

London, March 15.

Newspapers scribes have wasted a sumptuous assortment of notes of exclamation over tho announcement thab Lord Randolph Churchill lefb personalty valued ab £75,000. I confess I should prefer knowing whab his ©xacubors bad in hand when hia affairs were completely cleared up. The groaa amounb of a testator's possessions really affords no information as to bhe actual Bbate of his finances. Several wills wore proved lasb year with upwards of £100,000 gross, whereas the neb value of tho properby was oil. Aa to the much-talked-of ' estate in Oxfordshire' which was bequeathed to poor Bandy a few months back by an enthusiastic old maid, its market value does nob ab inosb exceed £600. Instead of bhe • palatial residence and park ' concerning which certain imaginative Tory scribes dilated so magnificently, the property consists ot two fields.

Mr Arbhur Arnold who succeeds Lord Roaebery and Sir John Hubbon as chairman of bhe London County Council, is a younger farobher of Sir Edwin Arnold, and was for some years editor of bhe 'Echo.' He came to the front prominenbly sb an AssisbantCommißsioner during bhe cobbon famine, and has wribten several volumes of travel. Mr Arnold has his family's ' gifb of bhe gab,' and should do well in hia new poßb. The Speaker. The Speaker's retirement ia no aurpriae to anybody. A year or more ago, afber Mr Pool's severe illness, ib was generally expecbed, bub the' firsb commoner in England' is also one of the pluckiest,; and he held on to.his arduous duties wibh a resolute tenacity almosb heroic. But more than once in the pasb few weeks Mr Peel haa all bub fain bed ab his post and ab last, he was forced to recognise bhab his deberminabion bo see the presenb Parliamenb oub musb be abandoned. Even bhe iron constitution of his immediabe predecessor, Lord Hampden, was nob proof againsb more bhan bwelvo years of a laborious and monobonous posb. The presenb Speaker was elocbed eleven years ago. The public bhen knew nobbing of Mr Arthur Peel, barring that ho had sab for twenby years in bhe House. Ho boro a famous name, and Mr Gladstone's unerring judgroonb had selected him as bhe righb man for bhe post. These were hia recommendations. No sooner, however, did bhe dignified, resolute, and seriousyeb courteous middle-aged genbleman don Mr Speaker's robes bhan hia choice wa3 justified. Mr Peel's Bpeech in returning thanks was a revelation, and he rapidly grew inbo bhe sbrongosb Speaker of modem times. There was ab firab a tendency to complain thab he magnified hia office unduly. Bub resulba justified him. If he interfered where obher Speakers would have aab ailonb ib was to allay bibberness and promobe peace. Leaa authoriby, leas urbaniby and leas tacb would have boon calamitous. Everyone will remember in that famous scene in Commibbee a couple of years ago, when honourable members' passion seethed to boiling point, and Col. Saunderson and bia Irish foes fell to fisticuffs, how suddenly bhe acene altered with Mr Speaker's advent. lb resembled the arrival of the headmasber in.a burbulent school-room. The naughty boys hung down their heads and began to excuse themaelvea forbhwibh. Mr Peel's special abrength lay in underabanding nob only when to inbervene bub how bo iutervene. Hia intervention was nob bhe intervention of the schoolmaster or bhe judge, bub of a genbleman. He had a ready and instantaneous sympathy wibb any member whose feelinga had been hurb, or who thoughb himself suffering from a grievance. Nobbing, indeed, could be bebter bhan his management of whab are called 'personal episodes.': You will remember, I daresay, how bhab melancholy lunabic. Mr Farmer Abkinson (who was subsequenbly confined . in an aßylum), assailed Mr Peel. The average man would have snubbed such a noboriouß 'crank' with a conbempbuous senbence. Bub the Speaker, whilsb baking full care of his dignity, was moab coneiderabe bo the unfortunate man. ' When,' saya bhe 'Daily News,' in its farewell eulogium on the Speaker, 'Mr Harris, the aubhor of 'Hermis,' came bo take his oath and the seat, Charle3 Townsend asked who thab was. On being bold the new member had wribben on grammar and on harmony, be replied, • Then whab in bhe world does ho come here for, where ho will geb neither tho one nor the obher.' The Speaker has done his besb bobh for bho harmony and bhe grammar of the House.' Oscar's Libel Case. Lord Queenaberry was commibbed for trial for criminally libelling Mr Oscar Wilde, on Saburday, bub as a criminal libel cannob be justified "in a police courb nobbing of importance, or beyond purely formal evidence, branspired. Amohgsb facta worth noting were the ominoua wibhdrawal from the defence of Sir George Lewie (superseded by Mr Charles Russell, son of bho Lord Chief Justice) bhe referencos to certain unnamed Royal personagea said bo be countenancing Lord Queenaberry and the labter'a obabinabe adherence to the very nasty namea bed called bhe prosecutor. ' I wrote thab card in order to bring mabtera to a bead, as I couldn't meet Mr Wilde. I abide by whab I wrobe,' Baid hia lordship, calmly. Mr Oscar Wilde, looking a degree flabbier than usual, drove bo bhe courb in a Duchess's carriage and pair, accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas, a pale, effeminate litble man. He was examined by Mr Humphreys to prove the libel, and ab firab showed a disposition bo Oscarian repartee. ' Are you a dramatic aubhor ?' ' I suppose some would call me so.' Unforbunabely ab bhia point the magistrate chipped in and shopped bhe performance. Hia frown said, *No antics permitted here,' and hia bongue dryly remarked: 'You must answer questions directly, sir.' Oscar collapsed, and in ten minutes was oub of the box, lb seems he'd, only meb Lord Queenaberry on bwo occaßionß when he'd joined Lord Alfred and himself ab breakfasb ab the Cafd Royal. A year ago Lord Alfred had shown him a letter in which there was a groaa libel. Counsel wanted bo pub bhis lebter in bub the Magisbrabe was resolved to have no revelations in his Courb, and persuaded both Bides to reserve developments for bhe Old Bailey. When Mr Wilde's counsel bad done with thab celebrity Lord Queenßberry'B book him in hand and began to crosa-examine him re his friendship wibh Lord Alfred Douglas. The Magisbrabe prompbly intervened; 'You can't cross-examine in this Courb.' Counael thought he could. He wished to show thab Lord Queenaberry had taken this step wibh a view bo pubbing an end to the ac-, quaintance between Mr Oscar Wilde and hia son. • That,' said His Honor, ' would be quasi-juabification and ia nob admissible here.' After some discussion counsel gave way, and with bhe formal commibtal of the noble Marquis the proceedings closed. General Booth's Welcome Home, One of bhose huge gabherings ab organising and manoeuvring which the Salvation Army are unequalled, took place on Monday night ab bhe Royal Alberb Hall, the purpose being to welcome home ' the Genoral.' Ten thousand persona were gob inbo the big building with perfect order and without any unnecessary crushing, and alengbby evening spenb of exhausting vocalisation and halle- ' lujahs. There can bo no doubb about bhe affection of bhe lads and lasses for bheir chief. Tbe reception bhey gave him can only be described as tremendous. Bub of thab more anon. The objecb of tho meeting over and above huzzaing Mr Booth must firab be mentioned. This was to ' register tbe gratitude of bhe Army for the manifestation of the Divine presence with our |eader, to give vent to tho enthusiasm and

devotion of his soldiers, bub above all to raise the tone and ace entuate the desire of bhe Army for a mosb desperate atbempb to save souls on a scale hitherbo unknown to us in Great Britain.' _ The General was nob present bo begin with. The Army organisers understand perfectly the value of theatrical efiecb, and bbc chief a appearance was to be bhe culminatingcrisis of a highly emotional evening. We began under bhe leadership of Mr Bramwell Booth, the other members of the family being ranged in a row on the platform. The opening hymn alluded in complimentary terms to the General: —

'Friend of the wretched, tho poor, the betrayed They cannot paythee. but thou shalt be paid.

A magic lanbernahow followed in which we were rapidly baken over the ground of the General's American and Canadian bour. Then, onca again, tho hall waß illuminated and bhe screen removed. The culminating poinb of bhe firab section of the proceedings was reached when bhe General, enbering the hall by bhe door opposibo bhe fronb of bho platform, behind the grand circle, passed down to bhe arona and down bhe cenbre aisle bebween bho sballs to the platform. The whole audience rose bo bheir feeb Bimulbaneously, and cheer afber cheer volleyed forbh, filling tho hall wibh conflicbing volumea of sound bbab wero all bub deafening. The cheering was accompanied by bho waving of handkerchiefs. Then anobher Salvation Army ' volloy' — this time nob ot cheera bub of 'Amena'—was delivered, and the firsb section closed wibh a rousing Army chorus. A remarkable specbacle was bhe second section. Ib conßiabed exclusively of greetings of bhe general by represenbatives of various departments of the Army's comprehensive workers. The repreaentative contingenbß entered ab the far end of the hall opposite bhe plabform, and passed in burn round bhe arena and on to the plabform to bo introduced to the General, the loader of each contingent presenting bo bheir chief a written message or report. Afber greebing the General bhey again paased bo the arena and occupied the seats which up bo bhis stage had been unoccupied. Firab camo members of bhe General's own family, including Beveral of his grandchildren, and bhose were warmly cheered as they paaeed up bo bhe plabform. Then followed bwenby members of tho International Headquartora abaff, under bhe leadership of Commissioner Carlecon, and representatives of the foreign work of the Army came next, these v<oing presonbed bo bhe General by Commitioioner Mrs Booth - Tucker. Workora_ in bhe British field of the Army'a operation, were then presented, these including bwenby-five slum officers in regulation working dress. Tho Women's Rescue and Social Work re presentabives, under Mrs Bramwell-Booth paased up next. Ton girls, who had paasod through bho Army homoa and who are now engaged in industries connected wibh bhe rescue work of bhe Army, passed in fronb of anobher ten, who are now engaged in domestic Bervico, and who were attired in the dark dresses and white caps and aprons which usually distinguish their class in the evenings in bhe households where bhey are employed. Then came a sample of six ' grannies' from the Women's Shelber, and twelve nurses engaged in connection with the women's Social Branch. The Social Ciby Colony was nexb represented, and Bomples of ' seven sbagea of_ man 'as meb and transformed in connection with the ' Darkesb England' scheme, were brought forward. There were ' oub-of-worka ' bearing all the marks of destitution, and carrying with bhem 'cups of thick and doorsteps,' much to the amusement of the audionce. Happy men, who, having bean under bhe influence of bho Army, were starting oub to new sibuabiona, bhe working-men with their bags of toola over their shoulders, the clerk wibh bag in hand, and bhey wero followed by i samples of ' great transformations,' representative men, now engaged in business and occupying responsible (positions, who have been elevated by the Salvation Army scheme. Itepresentatives of bhe Farm Colony reform work, of the Naval and Military League, of London waif boys, and of officers aboub to proceed on foreign aorvice for tho Army, camo lasb. Tho Americans appear to havo treated the General well. He's loab the sbramod, anxious look he had some time ago, and filled oub comfortably. 'Hallelujah ! look ab the large 'earb of 'im,1 cried an ardent damsel near mo. ' I replied thab ib waa nob so much the good man's large heart as a more prosaic porbion of hia anatomy which seemed to me conspicuous. 'It would be all the same to mo if hod a pot belly and a squint,' avowed this dreadful young woman, defiantly. 'Ib'a the 'earb bhab mabters, bhe 'earb I bell you.' The General then roae to speak. 1 muab confess bhe secreb of hia magnetism puzzlea me. Hia voice is unmusical, his language commonplace, yeb he played on tho meeting dexterously, and one could feel ib was entirely with him. Whab ho said you can imagine. ' Canada and America were greab countries. Their poasibibies were bremendous. The Army musb assist him to exploit them,' etc. The Salvation Akmv Literature. Though very few outside Salvation Army influences road bhose sanguinary sheets of « blood and fire' the ' War Cry ' and the * Y"oung Soldier,' they are extraordinarily lucrative properties. Ib musb make the proprietors ot many worldly publications green wibh envy bo read bhab tho profits of the ' War Cry,' etc., were £17,000 in 1894 Mr Bramwell Booth, indeed, frankly boasts that Army liberabure brings the nice total of £200,000 a year bo boadquarbers. Last twelvemonth fifty-one millions of newspapers, magazines, periodicals and tracbu emanated from headquarters, all containing ' aome definite teaching for the ungodly, bho young and bhe afflicted.' Unfortunately, the teaching doean'b always aeem bo have the effecb inbended. Mr Taylor, of Tooting, wallowed in «blood and fife,' and he burned his fronb porlour inbo a shambles whilst he cub the throats of his wife and seven children and finally committed Buicide himself. Mr Taylor, of Tooting, prayed in fervenb language whilao slaughtering hia belongings. He had lived altogebher amosbrespecbablo lifeandmighb with his family have been amongsb lis now bub for ' blood and fire ' literature. Clearly, then, ' WarCrys'and * Young Soldiers' are not wholesome taken in exceaa. Tennysoniana. The late Mr Fred Chapman, the publisher, though he seldom pub pen bo paper, was full of anecdotes regarding liberary celebrities he had known, and when in the vein, would reel off good sbories by tho dozen. One of his bead described a visit to Eabon Square to hear bho labe Laureate read ' The Revenge' to a select party of admirers. The poem had hob, of courso, then been published, and Mr Chapman's fervour and enthusiasm, aa'the weird, greybearded old man poured forbh ibs noble periods all aglow wibh/patriotic ardour, rose bo fever heat. Al laßb the Laureate came to bhe final lino and there was an imnreasive silence. Before, however, the hearers could give/ rein bo their delighted applause, Tennyson went on in exactly bhe same bones bo inform bhem thab ' bhe beggars had only given him £300 for ib, though ib was worth £500 at least.' Tho ludicrous effecb of bhis anticlimax may be imagined, As Mr Chapman siid, ib brought him down plump from the of |Parnassus to quite another locality. On another occasion the Laureate was reading bho ' Idylls ' after lunch bo a rather sbpb female relative, who, succumbing to the drono of hia voice and the / warm woabher, fell asleep. Tennyson wonb on till an unmistakeable noise assailed hia Horrified ears. Then roaring/like an outraged lion, he seized his fair friend and /bellowed sonorously : •Matilda—you beast —you sleep—yoo SNORE! I* ]