Pars about Notabilities,

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 137, 10 June 1911, Page 15

Pars about Notabilities,

The design for the King Edward memorial at Cannes has now been made by M. Denys Puech, who lives at Cannes, and is one of the foremost artists in modern France. His early work won him the Prix de Rome, and he has discharged a great number of official commissions. His statues of Saint Beuve and of Leconte de I'lsle are in the Luxembourg Gardens. The King Edward statue is of novel design. It shows the late King, in yachting costume, leaning over a balcony watching a battle of flowers.

Recently a tax was imposed upon mechanical cigar-lighters. The introduction into Spain of these automatic lighters did considerable damage to the match monopoly, and they were regarded as contrabrand. As soon as the new tax came into operation, King Alfonso and his aide-de-camp, Count del Geone, presented themselves at the tax offices. The King handed in his gold enamelled cigar-lighter, and had stamped on it the official seal indicating that the tax had been duly paid. The aide-de-camp followed suit. This was the first time that the stamp had been utilised for its new work.

Queen Alexandra's "dear little Admiral," the late Sir Harry Keppel, would have been delighted with the distinction that has been conferred on his son, Rear-Admiral Sir Colin Keppel—the honour of commanding the Naval Brigade at the coronation. As commander of the Royal yachts he is able to boast that at one time or another he has had under his care most of the crowned heads of Europe. In spite of the fact that he has always basked in the smiles of Royalty, Sir Colin Keppel is far from being a mere carpet knight. He has been knocked about, indeed, almost as much as his famous father. One of the narrowest shaves he ever had was when he went up the Nile to rescue Gordon. The enterprise, of course, was too late, but Sir Colin's gunboat was wrecked on a rock and the whole party were taken off just in time by Lord Charles Beresford, who stated his opinion in dispatches that they all owed their safety "to the untiring energy of SubLieutenant Keppel."

President Diaz, who is so rough on revolution, has himself played the part of a revolutionary in the past, and at that time ran some narrower escapes than that of a fortnight back in his flight to Vera Cruz, en route for Spain. In 1876, when travelling in disguise from New Orleans to Vera Cruz, to head a revolt against President t'rdo. the steamer was boarded at Tampieo by a number of Mexican officers. Diaz felt sure that they recognised him. and. if so. his capture at \ era Cruz and execution seemed certain. That night Diaz threw himself into the sea. which is usually alive with sharks, hoping to swim ashore. But the cry "Man overboard!" was sounded by the watch, a boat was lowered, and Diaz was brought back to the steamer in the sight of many passengers. The ship's purser, being in the secret of his voyage, at once took him in charge, spirited him away, and he was not seen again, although the Mexican officials had tho vessel thoroughly searched when it arrived at 'Vera Cruz.

The State portrait of King George, which Sir Cuke Fiides has been commissioned to paint, will rot be the first that this famous artist has executed for his Majesty. He had the honour of painting both the King and Queen on the occa-sion of their engagement, and the Royal family were so pleased with the picture that Queen Alexandra, then Princes* of Wales, consented to sit to him. The double portrait of the Duke and Duchess of York was a wedding present, and it now hangs in Buckingham Palace. Sir Luke Fiides also painted the Duke of Clarence's portrait after his death, using photographs and minatures for the purpose. King Edward's first State portrait was painted by Sir Luke in 1002. Three years later, he was responsible for a magnificient Academy picture of Qiteen Alexandra in her Coronation robes, and last year he made the beautiful drawing, famous the world over, of King Edward on his death-bed. The best known pictures of the King's portrait-painter are, perhaps, "The Village Wedding" and "The Doctor." Sir Luke 'thought over the subject of "The Doctor" for many years before he made a start, and he travelled to many places, from Devon to Inverness, to get acquainted with the character of the cottages and the people. He made scores of sketches, and on his return to town, he had a model cottage interior built up in his studio exactly to size.

A notable American visitor to London this spring was Mr John Wannamaker, of Philadelphia, proprietor of the, biggest store in the world. Mr Waunamaker is one of the multi-millionaires of America who have risen to fortune from the very lowest rung of the ladder. His father was a working bootmaker, and he himself began life as an errand-boy.' By the age of 20 he had saved £40. An' investment in reel estate increased this; amount to £400, and that sum was the foundation of the millions he owns to-1 day. His Philadelphia store is by gen-j eral admission the most wonderful" establishment of its kind! in existence. His! employees number six thousand, who]

serve 25,000 persons every day. One hundred miles of steam-pipes run through the store to heat it, and twen-ty-six tons of coal a day are required to feed the boilers. He spends £200,000 a year in newspaper and magazine advertising alone, and he pays premiums on life-insurance policies for over £600,000. Mr Wannamaker is deeply religious, and holds himself financially responsible for the largest Sunday School in America. He owes his phenomenal success to patient, persistent hard work—"Never have your hands in yoar pockets during business hours," is one of his mottoes— also to a marvellous capacity for detail, together with a placidity of disposition which makes work a pleasure to him. His life is the life of a well-balanced, carefully-oiled, well-tended machine. He never smoked, never drank, never in all his life went to any more frivolous entertainment than a concert or a lecture. He cares nothing for horses, nothing for society; he is a model man in his family, goes to bed early, and is often up before sunrise. How could such a man possibly fail to "get on?"