PERSONAL ANECDOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 183, 1 August 1908, Page 14

PERSONAL ANECDOTES.

i A FRJSSK OF CHJsBLES FOX. Charles Fox, when a boy, meeting one Easter Monday a blind woman who was crying puddings and pies took hereby the hand and said, "Come along with mc, dame; I am going to Moorflelds, where, t.Vs noUdaytime; you may chance to meet with good £ustam." "Thank you kindly, sir," replied she. .Whereupon he conducted her to Ckipplftgate Church, and placed .her in the midSte- aisle. "Now," says he, "yon .are in I Moprfiejas"; which she believed to be true, and immediately cried out, "Hot pudding* , and pies'. Hot puddings and pies! Come, they are. all not!" A SHABPTDETrBCTrVE. This story Jis told of Gladstone. The incident took place during the time he was "shadowed" by Scotland Yard detectives selected for his protection. Once, at his cL**, he personded a fellowmember of about liis general build to take his coat and hat .and walk out, .carrying an umbrella sufficiently slant to conceal his face, in the hope of .drawing the waiting "shadow" outside on his trail long enough to afford Mr Gladstone a ""chance to slip out unobserved. It was a neat trick, but useless. The watching detective saw the coat, the hat. and the nmhrella, and knew them to be unmistakably Gladstonlan; bat the Gladetonian gait, an equally unmistakable point o* identification, was conspicuously absent. He stepped up and tapped the obliging friend sharply on the arm. "I believe, sir," he said, "you nave just left the club with another gentleman's property in your possession.' , Tne suspected thief had to confess, and Mr Gladstone had to share in the confession. SP.OILIXG THE EGYPTIANS. A friend*'« mine ( wrltes late Mr AJbert Felt, in his going from England to the \7*«. H.shlands to hold land there, was cantkSß*' about the drovers a " d shepherds, who we»\ t0 take ms Btoc £ t0 Falkirk Tryst. When owner was English, it was not imnsna* V r several of his animals to disappear on ™y, and he would be told that with tricks and the thousands of sheep .%no- .catile on foot together, the loss of anlmats WW 18 uite a natural feature In the drift. My friend, however was assured that .?" extremely experienced and wily drover, <rae in a thousand, had been retained for him. The animals were counted inttf his charjje, and started off a fortnight befoi-e the Tryst. Their owner followed and joiued his property at Falkirk. With much apprehension and he inquired of the drover, after they IV-d both "tasted,"' Uow he got through. He replied, "None so bad, though it might hare been better; there are only thirteen more animals in the drove than when I started." THE CRACK SHOTS AND THE PHEASANT. George Osbaldeston. "the Old"" Squire," and Captain Horatio Ross were admitted to be the two greatest game-shots of their day, but they both on one occasion gave a display of rascally bad shooting, which was particularly mortifying and humiliating in the circumstances. A particularly gentleman-like man (t stranger to everyone out), addressing the "Squire, he had lieatd that'the two greatest shots in England were present, and that he had come some distance in the hope of being allowed to walk a short time wfth us. and see "the cracks shoot" Well, a minute or two afterwards (says Captain Ross, who tells the story), a cock pheasant rose between the "Squire" and myself, not four yards from either of us. Quick as lightning, "bang" went the "Squire"—missed: and "bang" went Captain Ross—missed! Bang! again, the "Squire"— missed! Bang! again, Captaiu Ross—missed! and away went the pheasant, chuck, chuck, chuckl Tlie gentleman took off his hat, made us a bow, and said—"Thank you! I am much obliged, and quite satisfied," and away ho went.—Thormanby, in the I/ondon "Sportsman." A CHILD'S FEAR. 'Talking of nervousness," writes Sir Charles Santley In the "Musical Home Journal," "reminds mc of an incident which happened the first tltnie my little daughter saw mc on the stage. The child, by dint of much earnest begging and praying, at last prevailed upon her mother to take her to a matinee of 'Faaist' at Her Majesty's Theatre. My wife, however, knowing full well how difficult it is for children to realise that what they see on the stage is only make believe, while consenting, took the precaution of Impressing beforehand upon the little girl that the .tool scene, in which I was, of course, one of: the principals, was only 'fun.' But, alas, 'Jbr such careful preparations.' No sooner cSd Sims Reeves, who was Faust, and I (Valentine) begin to use our swords, than the little , mouth began to pucker and the rosy lips to tremble, and when at length I recehfed the fatal wound and fell, my little girl burst into a flood of tears, and as she ttireatened to go "or crying for some time, my wife had to carrj her out of the theatre. Eui it was not until my daughter saw mc seated safelj at home at dinner, enjoyimg- a. hearty meal that her tears really ceased. Since thost days my mind has often reverted to thai incident, and I can well -understand th< agony of mind the child Wt when she saw mc pierced to the heart-" A "SPOI/IXH" ENGLISHMAN. Anecdotes of great statesmen., and orator are *pt to prove interesting to the genera reading public, because it is espected t ha they will reveal something of -.toe working of a great mind. In the "Life and Letter of Sir 'Richard C. Jebb" is tokL a story o" Mr. Disraeli, -which is worthy to *>c callec historical. Mr. Disraeli, after one of .Ms '-best speech es, left the House with Mr. Mon.tagu Corry. "I was wondering," Mr. Corry afterwajd' confessed, "what a great, orator would tall about just after a suecesHful speech. 'Corry said Mr. Disraeli, 'do you know how to ge into a cab? Very few men know. I wai at Vienna once when I was a young man •with Prince Gortschakoff and another Eng lishamn, a military man, who was there oi the same business. " 'A royal carriage was there to conduc us. When we came to it, fehe Eagllshmai walked straight up to It, and got 3n with hi back to the horses. GortscfeaJioa: said, ti mc, "That is the politest thing I have eve seen an Englishman do. , " Oscar Ham-merstein was smfling at *h< extravagant attentions that are la-vlshed b; the rich upon pet dogs. He spoke of thcanine operations for appendicitis, thi canine toona-crownings, the canine ward •robes that have recently amazed New Xork an dtheu he said: •'How servants hate these pampered curs At a house wirere I -was calling one warn day the fat and pompons butler entere, the draiwlnsroom and saitl:— " yon ring, madam?' ' 'Yes, Harrison. I- wish you, to taki Fido out walking for two fionrs.' "Harrison frowned slightly. 'But: Fidi won't follow mc, madam,' la> said. FJd"^" 611 ' ,Hartison ' }0a must folio?