PARS ABOUT NOTABILITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 65, 16 March 1907, Page 11

PARS ABOUT NOTABILITIES.

The Lord Mayor of London (Sir William Treloar) has confessed to a " great liking for treacle-pudding! "

The Rev. R. J. Campbell describes himself as " the most imsensational person, and the least likely to provoke religious conflict."

Princess Mary of Wales is an enthusiastic horsewoman, and she assures all her relations, we are told, that her ambition is to become a circus rider I

Signora Duse has a peculiar liking for scissors (says a writer in "The Sketch") and keeps a pair in every room, on every table, and in each of her pockets.

Gerloch, an aged beggar, who died in a Budapest hospital, was found to have in his possession securities worth £9500. He wa a doctor of three faculties. He lived as a beggar, but secured wealth by appropriating securities.

The Grand Duke of Hesse is founding, a factory for the production of artistic glass. Professor Soekendorf, the distinguished Munich sculptor, has been appointed the head of this new artistic departure, which will have its home in Darmstadt.

Lord Kinnaird, President of the, V.M.C.A., has been discovered by a teetotaller to be a shareholder in the brewery company of Watney, Coombe, Reid and Company.

Mr. C. B. Fry. in his magazine, says that Dr. Grace, the famous cricketer, has not for half a dozen years slept for two consecutive hours. He is awake 15 to 20 times a night—neuralgia and rheumatism are his foes.

Bret Harte's daughter, Mrs. W. H. Steele, has been sent to the poorhouse at Portland, Maine. The predicament "in which Mrs. Steele finds herself is said to be due to extravagance. She has asked for her fare to London, but the city authorities will only pay it as far as New York.

Sir Percy Girouard. who has just been appointed High Commissioner of Northern Nigeria, has risen to his present post through sheer merit. He is a French Canadian and Roman Catholic, and has no influential connections; but he attracted Lord Kitchener's notice in Egypt, and his engineering ability did the rest. He married a daughter of Sir Richard Solomon, who was AttorneyGeneral of the Transvaal, and was more recently offered a scat in the Botha Cabinet.

Writing of music-hall salaries, a theatrical gossip says that fifteen years ago Miss Marie Lloyd appeared at the Alhambra and received £4 a week; when she left she wanted £20; and now shegets £60. and she may appear at two, three, or even four halls per night. Mr. Albert Chevahcr has received as much as £280 a week, and Miss Loic Fuller was given £150 a veek at the Palace for evening performances, with a '•refresher for matinees.

Monarchs must know more than one ■language. King Edward, who travels so much, speaks French better than some. Frenchmen, and also German. The Czar of Russia speaks French as well as his native tongue, and knows the numerous dialects. Emperor William of Germany speaks French and English correctly, and is also well versed in Latin. The King of Spain, the youngest of all, speaks German with ease, and also French and English. Because of his marriage, he now practises the latter. The King of Portugal speaks French, English. German, and Spanish. The King of Italy is a master of French and German, and is also well versed in the various Italian dialects. The Sultan of Morocco is now studying French and English. He already knows enough of Spanish to make himself understood, especially when it comes to saying "' no" or asking for money.

The late Principal Story was a man whn whom it was generally unsafe to tackle, but there was one incident in his career which he was glad to have hushed up. It was when he was minister at Rosneath. A charge, on the ground of ineffi-

eiency, had been preferred against tlie. lat. r_ev. lE. c__i=_l._. McCstig. minister o _ _*_«cl_ai_-n, ne&r- Ofc>_—, —hd Dr. fc>tOT_-. an«i several others ol tlie leaders o" tile Church were appointed a deputation to investigate. They proceeded to Muckairn and reached the manse, only to find it, to all appearances, silent and desolate. -_t length they discovered, so the story goes, that the kitchen window at the hack was unlocked, and they determined that the importance of their oflice justified them in attempting an entrance anyhow. But just as they laid hands upon the sash an awful voice hailed them from the upper storey. It was the minister of Muckairn himself. " Who are you, and what do you want here ': " They told him they were a Commission of the General Assembly sent to inquire into the affairs of the parish. " I don't care who you are or what your commission is. It does not entitle you to enter my house burglariously. Where are the police?" The Commissioners realised that they had over-reached themselves. They tried to argue, but the minister was inexorable. "Go away from here, or I'll land you in the lock-up," he threatened, and the deputation withdrew sadly to Oban, feeling that if they had the law of the Church on their side, the minister had the law of the land.

Lady Yarmouth's unhesitating allegiance to her brother, Mr. Harry Thaw, has aroused a good deal of admiration among her English friends and acquaintances. The.future Marchioness of Hertford is one of the most interesting members of the group of American heiresses married into the British peerage. She is really original and clever, and in some ways quite unlike the conventional Transatlantic belle who seeks to make a great marriage. To begin with, Miss Alice Thaw was " Pittsburg born and bred," and she met her future husband in America, the wedding taking place in the town where her millionaire father had made his immense fortune. Lady Yarmouth is tall, light, and fair, with an exceptionally pretty complexion. She has a frank, keen glance, and wears her hair simply turned back from her forehead. As a bride she showed her originality by refusing to be married with the traditional wedding ring, and, in addition to the usual troupe of bridesmaids, she revived the good old American custom of a " matron of honour " in the person of her much-loved sister, Mrs. George Kuder Carnegie.

The name of Mr. David Macßrayne, whose death occurred in January, "was familiar to the scores of New Zealanders

who in the course of each summer have toured the Western Highlands of Scotland. Mr. Maeßrayne was the proprietor of the steamers which run down the Clyde and through the Crinan Canal to Oban, and thence up the Caledonian Canal to Inverness—a glorious journey on a fine summer day. He was the last survivinrepresentative of the firm of Hutehesoiwho were the tourists pioneers in the West Highlands. It was of this firm that Professor Blackie wrote in his " Oban in the Season' _;—

Praise be to noble Hntcheson, ~ Who made the Celtic seas. Sir, V A highway smooth for any man ,;/; To travel at ease, sir! £ Like moving towns his vessels go, ; And no one ever dreams now Of staggering with a face of woe 4 So steadily he steams now.