PARS ABOUT NOTABILITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 166, 13 July 1907, Page 11

PARS ABOUT NOTABILITIES.

The Shah owns the most costly pipe in the world, and he smokes it on btate occasions. It is encrusted from the top of the bowl to the amber mouthpiece with diamonds, rubies, and pearls and is valued at £60,000. ' Mr. John Redmond is very superstitious. In the country, he will break off a conversation to raise his hat to a magpie. The little Countess yon JCordenfeldt who is only twelve years old, has created a great sensation in Sweden by attempting to restore her family's fortunes by appearing on the stage as a dancer in national costume. She is receiving £70 a week. Mr. Alfred Austin, the present Poet Laureate, is now 72. His nominal profession is that of a barrister, but he has never practised, and like many other wearers of the long robe, lias preferred literature to law, but with more success than most lawyers who adopt that precarious means of livelihood usually achieve. Fifty-three years old, Prince Louis of Battenberg is one of the handsomest men in Europe. Born at Gratz, in Austria, he -came to England as a boy. His first ship -was the Victory, and he learnt his seamanship on the Arethusa in the days of masts and sails. He circumnavigated the world on the Inconstant before steam had finally usurped the place of the breezes. He was one of the merriest of the Serapis party when the King journeyed to India. Every promotion he has obtained has been earned by haref work.

Lady Algernon G-ordon-Lennox, who is establishing fruit-bottling works at Broughton Castle, is a sister of that versatile peer, the Earl of Roaslyn, and also one of that notable group of sisters comprising, in addition to herself, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Countesses of Warwick and Westmorland, and Lady Angola Forbes. Of an extremely energetic temperament. Lady Algernon is keenly interested in all kinds of schemes for the betterment of her humbler sisters.

There can be no doubt (says the "Club Member" of the "Liverpool Daily Post") that Mr. Winston Churchill paid most assiduous attention to Miss Botha, and there are many who would not be surprised if the wishes of the couple were to incite tbtern to bind their lives up with a hallowed tie. Miss Botha is a charming and amiable young lady of somewhat stolid temperament, who has been well educated and can talk capably upon serious matters. Her English is as fluent as her Dutch, and if she were to settle in London she would achieve vide popularity.

The German Emperor has a handsome income, but every penny of it conies to him as King of Prussia and not as Emperor. The exact amount is one of the Sta.te secrets. The fact of his being at the nead of the German Empire does not better the king to the extent of a dollar, although there is a certain amount given him to be used, only, however, for charitable purposes. All of his many castles and estates were his inheritance as King of Prussia, and would have been his anyway if the consolidation of the Empire had never been ejected. He is an enormously rich man-, an± 'manages his gTeat interests with good business ability.

Mr. Friek, of the American Steel Trust, announces his intention to give Pittsburg a sumptuous academy of art at a cost of £1,000,000. It is stated that Mr. Flick's intention is to rival Mr Carnegie as a benefactor to Pittsburg, and ih-at the architects will he instructed that the buildings for trie npw art academy shall overshadow Ihe institute which Mr. Carnegie presented to the town.

The Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, who was welcomed to London in May, at the outset of a mission in the metropolis, is the author who sent a mild thrill through two continents with a. startling novel, entitled "In His Steps." and another. One of his latest efforts is a negro settlement at Tope.ka, containing nearly 800 coloured people. Many of the first-comers had been slaves. Kindergarten work is the main occupation by the children, and on last Thanksgiving Day the pumpkin pies and popcorn which the piccannies enjoyed were of their own growing in the back gardeu of the church.

Bavaria, .on April 28, celebrated the fifty-ninth birthday of the mad King Otto, who is incarcerated in the castle of Fuerstenrisd in the same loyal manner ncr as if he was still upon the throne in Munich. The report that King Otto has wasted to a mere shadow is denied. He passes his days walking dreamily through the halls s/.A. gardens of the castle, staring blankly into space — '" looking for the past, 7, as he once said— and often not speaking for weeks. Fuerstenried, which was once the favourite summer palace of the Bavarian kings, is now hidden behind forbidding stone walls, with its gateways guarded by armed sentries. The imprisoned King's entourage consists of his Court Chamberlain, two courtiers, and two physicians from an insane asylum. The latter, 'who are relieved monthly, are charged with the watching of the King's movements. Court ceremonial is observed as punctiliously as his Majesty permits. Once a year an official of the iioyal Household at Munifh visits the King and makes a formal report on his condition to the Bavarian Parliament. Prince Luitpold. the Regent, never sees the mad monarch, because the sight of

his * relatives has heretofore always thrown bis Majesty into a towering rage. King Otto is sa-id to ha enjoying fair health, his occasional illnesses being caused by his passion for cold food, which is the only form of nourishment he can be induced to take.

There died at Canton, Ohio, in tlm last week of May, Mrs. McKinley, widow of the late President of the United States. She was stricken with paralysis two days earlier. Mrs. MtJvinley's maiden name was Ida Saxton, and she was well born, her maternal ancestors being Germans. She was a teacher in her own Sunday school at the time when Major McKinley was superintendent of t'be Methodist school, and in going back and forward to their respective duties their paths often crossed. Ode day, when they lingered in talk, the Major said, " I am tired of these partings hare, you going one way and I another. I think that hereafter we should both go the same way together." The ready reply, •' I think so, too," led the way to a happy marriage, the twenty-fifth anniversary of which was celebrated in the same house where they began housekeeping. The deceased lady had- a great influence .on the career,of her late husband, an in-

fluence which he more than once admitted in public speeches during the term of his Presidency.

For the last eighteen months the Czar has been virtually a prisoner in one of his own palaces, and in the intervals of State work he has solaced himself with composing music and writing verse. His poetry is melodious and carefully polished, and hi 3 music is melancholy and inspired by a spirit of fatalism. Some three years ago some of the Czar's poems were published under the pseudonym of Olaf, with music by his cousin, the Grand Duke "E'Assia, but he -has himself set some of his verses to music with a considerable amount of taste and real knowledge of harnjony. Nicholas 11. has a fine collection of violins, of which he is very proud. There died in a Washington Catholic convent a few days ago (says the San Francisco "Argonaut") a nun who had taken the holy vows after she had refused the hand of Eichard Mansfield, the actor. They .had been sweethearts for years, and it is said that for a while they were engaged. Persons who knew her in Washington declare that she was one of the most beautiful nuns and one of the most devoted Christians they had ever known. After she had entered the convent, Mr. Mansfield never came to Washington that he did not send to her, with the permission of the convent authorities, great quantities of flowers. These she distributed amonc the hospitals for the poor.