STRANGE STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN PAPERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 253, 23 October 1909, Page 15

STRANGE STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN PAPERS.

POLICEMAN AXD PBESIDENT. President Taft, on Saturday, September 4, had the unpleasant experience o; being "held up" by the constable of an American motor. The President had left Beverly for a drive after lunch, and had Mrs Taft and two other ladies in the car. As they were dashing through the streets of Newburyport, about 20 miles from Beverly. Constable Arthur Moody compelled the chauffeur to etop, and was ebout to take down the names of the party with a view to having them summoned when the President revealed his identity. Constable Moody was nonplussed at first, but his sturdy New England spirit was not daunted by the dignity of the Chief Magistrate of the country. "Well, Mr President," said he, "the laws of this town don't permit travelling above ten miles an hour, and you are doing if you're doing anything; but I suppose I can't arrest the President of the United States." Mr Taft made a pleasant reply, and the car resumed its journey. A GIRL NAMED "EDWARD JAMES." Edward James Casey, a beautiful girl of eighteen years, living in Trenton, New Jetsey, will appeal to the Legislature for permission to change her name, as she is soop to become a bride. When she was born her relatives were Informed that she could not lire. Being a Romau Cutholic, the grandmother declared that the babe should be baptised immediately. She wrapped up the new-born infant, and rushed from the house to the parsonage of St. Peter's Church. "Father," she said, "the child is dying. Pleuse baptise him." The priest, thinking death was near, did not hesitate. Without making inquiry as to the sex of the child, the priest baptised the infant "Edward James." THE MATRIMONIAL ADVENTURES OK GRACE. Mrs Grace Snell-Comu-Comu-Walker-Comn-Lnynian-Love, the most married woman In the word, has eloped with her former husband, aud become. Mrs Love agnln, writes a Los Angeles correspondent. With her latest ex-husband she ran away to Santa Ana and was married by Justice Smith Wick. Hugh M. Love, the latest and present husband, is a former local newspaper man and ex-secretary of- the board of health. [ The Loves were first married in 1006, and j a little over a year ago she divorced him on the grounds of cruelty. Mrs Love is the daughter if Amos J. 'Sntll, a Chicago millionaire banker, murdered twenty years ago In his home In Chicago. She began getting married in yeare, then she divorced him, and they were remarried in ISOS. I A year later they were again divorced and Mrs Coffln almost immediately was married to Jame6 C. Walker. A year later she divorced Walker and again m-arrled Coffin. Tho same year they agnln were divorced, and in 1903 Mrs Coffin became the bride of Perkins A. Layman, whom she divorced a year later. Love was her next and only subsequent husband. DIVORCE STOPPED IN TIME. Coming face to face in the corridor just outside the courthouse door, a remarkably pretty woman, stylishly gowned, and a man paused and regarded each other for a moment the other day. "Ruth," cried the man, "please listen to mc for a minute. In a few moments it will be too late, and our lives will be wrecked." The young woman paused. At first she had regarded the man with an icy stare, but gr.-itrually the expression softened and a half tender, reminiscent look crept into the pretty eyes. The woman was Mrs Ruth Evans, and the man was T. 0. F.vnns, v ow Dor (if the Mrs Kvans was ahout to enter the courtroom to attend the trial of her-.suit for divorce against her husband, and he was on i his way to contest the action. Both sides I had employed eminent counsel, and the case | was the next on the calendar. j There was no resisting the pleading in 1 the man's eyes, and the couple were seen i pacing up and down tho court corridor, the man talking earnestly, aud the woman listening with more and more willingness. At this Juncture the attorneys began to arrive. "Come Into the court-room, our ease comes up next." said one of the lawyers. "There won't be any case," said Mr Evans, happily. "Neither of us wants a divorce. It's all a mistake. She is tho only girl I ever loved."

"No. I don't think I want a divorce. 1 have changed my mind," said Mrs Kvnna, blushing and smiling under her big picture hnt. "He's the dearest man in the world, and I am sorry I listened to those horrid gossips. But, anyway, he hurt my feelings, nnd I wouldn't have forgiven him if he hadn't asked mc so nicely." The lawyers threw up their hands, and when the judge called the case of F.vans v. Evans It was promptly stricken from the docquet. aud a happy pair .left the courtroom to start on a brand new houeymoou.— "Los Angeles. Examiner." ORPHAN HOME HOLOCAUST. In the Roman Catholic orphan asylum at New York on Monday uight. Aug-ust 30, a fire broke out while the children were asleep, with the result that ten little ones were burnt to death, but mm others, thanks to the courageous nuus. were taken safely out to shelter. All the dead were children between the ages of two and six, who were put to bed at seven o'clock. Thoii dorn-'*.ory was above the laundry, where the fire started. Hemmed in by flames and sm..ke, they had goue down through two Two hundred youngsters between the ages of one and six were asleep in the second a3d third floor dormitories when the fire broke out In the laundry at 7.50 o'clock, Six hundred of the older children were on their way to the chapel, and many of them were outside the building when the blaze was discovered by Sister Ambrose, who was leading the way to service. Of thirty sisters attached to the asylum, only a few were with tie little children in the dnrmiMrief. and It was only by their brave efforts that so many were saved. Fire drill fer such little people as were as'epj when the flames burst out under the dormitories was practically impossible, and the sisters had to drag and carry out the scores that were saved. Some or the children, in their fright, ran about aud hid under the b. ,Is. Sister Concepto was the greatest herrf liio of the tire. With the help of four orphan girls, she carried sixty-five little babies from the nursery to safety. She worked in the worst of the fire - when the air was hot about her. and the flames were drawing closer every moment. She stayed at her post when the babies were all out, and made a round of the cribs to see that not one was left. Then she made her own way into the open air, and fainted In the arms of the other sisters, exhausted by her efforts and emotion. The entire building, which was of wood, was practically in ashes within half an hour. The rescued were marshalled on the sea shore, and then taken to another building belonging to the orphan asylum close bjr.