PERSONAL ANECDOTES

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 271, 13 November 1909, Page 16

PERSONAL ANECDOTES

QUITE A SHOCK. "One of the most conservative men 1 ever knew," said N. V. V. Frauehot, of Olean, New York, president of the MidContinent Oil Association, "was a neighbour of mine named Wilmuth. "Wilmuth was very sick. There waa a consultation of doctors, and they told him he would die in two hours. However, he didn't, and when he had recovered enough to get out on his porch I went over to congratulate him. "He told mc all about his sickness, and wound up by saying—' Do you know, when they tjold mc I would be dead in two hours it really was somewhat of a shock to me!'" TOTTERING SUPPORT. ■Captain Tracey, who lived down in Kentucky, was a good old hard-shell Baptist who occasionally would tell a story at the expense of the brethren. Years ago they were not so conspicuously orthodox on the temperance question as they are in our time. "On one occasion," said the captain, "the brethren in my region were α-bout to have a grand church gathering, and all the faithful in the neighbourhood were expected to exert themselves to-' entertain suitably and hospitably the visiting brethren. Two of my neighbours met each other just before the grand gathering. One of them said: "' What are you going to do? , "' Well,' replied the man, ' I've laid in a gallon of first-rate whisky.' "'A gallon!' retorted his neighbour, with a look of contempt; 'why, I've got a barrel, and you are just as able to support the Gospel as I am." , A GIGANTIC FAMILY. The Queen of Denmark once paid a visit to the Danish colony of Iceland, where the good old bishopTxerted himself to the utmost to show her everything that was worth seeing. The Queen paid many compliments to her host, and, having learnt that he was a family man, graciously inquired how many children he had. It happens that the Danish word for "children" is almost identical in sound with the Icelandic word for "sheep," and the worthy bishop promptly answered, "Two hundred." "Two hundred children?" cried the Queen; "how can you possibly maintain such a number?" "Easily enough, please your Majesty." replied the prelate, with a cheerful smile. "In the summer I turn them out upon the hill to grass, and when the winter comes I kill and eat them." HAD. The Marquis de Castellane, the father of Count Boni, ha 3 been adding to the gaiety of Paris hy the publication of some memoirs of his time, which will be widely read outside the French capital. H e comes of an eccentric stock that seems to have preserved its characteristics, and that has supplied not a few little anecdotes. It was a Castellane who, when he had a command in the south somewhere, was the pious terror of the commanding officers by a way he had of making surprise visits a t their domicile. He turned up at one C.O.s so early that his victim was not yet risen. He had to apologise for receiving his 1 superior in a dressing gown. "Not at all," iD# Castellaae said, blandly; and they talked of divers matters. When the General rose to go, the Colonel thought it incumbent on him to see his visitor to the street. The instant he passed the threshold, De Castellane put him under arrest for appearing improperly garbed in public. THE REAL GOVERNOR. "While Governor Wilson, of Kentucky, was house-bound last winter owing to a strained tendon in his leg, he was attended by "Jim," who had been general factotum to many Governors, and who was a source of much fun among State House attaches. >- The lame leg caused the Governor to move his office temporarily to the mansion, where he received many delegations. r On one occasion (says "Lippincott's Magazine") Mrs. Wilson had waited luncheon, for 30 minutes, and she told his Excellency that he must come down and eat with her. "My dear," said Mr. Wilson, "just as soon as I see that delegation of men downstairs I'll he with you." Mrs. Wilson was determined, and said: "Jim. you go down and tell them to wait." "Jim," frowned the Governor as that worthy started ofT to obey the mistress of the mansion—"Jim, you know who is Governor, don't you?" "Yas, sir," grinned Jim, with seeming innocence; "yas, sir, I'll go down and tell the gentlemen to wait, sar." MARRIAGE COMEDY. Will Crooks, describing his experiences in Canada i n " The Chronicle," tells the following amusing story.—" We have had a Gilbert and Sullivan comedy conflict with the Canadian marriage law, and most of the State departments have been called into activity," writes Mr. Crooks. It looked serious, and but for the happy intervention of the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Quebec, at the request of the Hon. C. Devlin, I don't know what 1V « should have done. Let no young couple under age fly here to get married, or there will be trouble. "Our niece was handed over to us at Liverpool to see that she was properly and duly, married to the man of her choice. He met his bride-elect; he had applied for a license to marry; he was of full age, the lady was not." " ' Had he the' father's consent?' "Yes." 'Where was it?' Must be produced. I said that I had the father's consent. ' That won't do, we must have the father, , was the response. ' But I will make an affidavit,' I rejoined. No good. Crown law officers called in—no good. Must have father's consent. Invva n I said that 1 had brought it, but not in writing. 'Cable for it,' was the next demand. ' But then how would you know the right man replied to it?' ' I will consider that after,' sa£s the notary. Wonderful man, that notary. Cannot catch him. So we saw the Governor. Kindly-hearted, he pitied the young couple, but said the notary was right. Young ma n all the way from Vancouver, 3000 miles by train; girl 3000 miles by ship— yet not able to get married. The cable came giving consent to : the marriage— and then,' behold, I had '■■ to declare that I thought it was right, i and to enter into a bond for 800 dollars' ' together with two kindly friends, as a r guarantee that I was safe, in case any- : thing happened to upset the whole thin" ■ So after all this fuss, we got the youn°a people married at the Anglican Cath e C - . dral, Quebec, on Saturday, by Dean Wil- \ liams, who was kindness itself towards • the bnde ajid bridegroom, who are now , off to the great West to settle. If all ■ the brides who came out with us and ■ there were six or eight of them, have a , similar experience, it will be interesting - Papers here are getting good copy out • of it. My first' experience is novel to i say the least of it.