CONTINENTAL ITEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 128, 30 May 1914, Page 17

CONTINENTAL ITEMS.

PRESIDENT'S CAT. When the train taking M. Poincare. tlie French President, to Nice, stopped at tering the saloon to greet ti> President, was much astonished to find him caressing a cat, who had just finished her breakfast of milk out of M. Poincare's own saiu-er. The cat is named Gris-Gris. ami is a Bi'leur did Siamese. MODE OF THE BARE TOE. of actresses, has set all l'aris talking of a new fashion, the mode of bare toes. At the dress rehearsal of IB- play. ■•Concert." at the Theatre Rejane she caused great comwith her feet shod in pretty sandals fa-* tened round her ankles by cross-ribbons it) the old Greek style. Parisian jewellers are already having toe rings made for sandaJL wearers. DUEL TO THE DEATH. A despatch from Madrid to the Paris "Journal" states that rwu youug men ot Malaga. named Antonio Mererotte and KkXlrißn Martorell. having quarrelled concerndnj,- a girl, decided upon a duel, which was fought in a room. They exchanged several revolver shots, and ronrinuMl to fight wiili knives. When Hie neighbours entered the room both were lying on the door, one dead and the other mortally woumied. HEARTLESS LANDLORDS. Driven from pillar to post by heartless landlord*, who refused w rent flats to families with many children, a .vorkinjman named Schneidmehl. the father of seven children, threw himself in front of a •train at Dnisbnrg, Germany, and was instantly killed. He left a letter saying he had been evicted by his latest landlord on account of his children, and every other landlord to whom he applied turned the cold shoul-der to him. He and '.iis wICo and children were confronted with iho prospect of remaining in the streets. NAPOLEON'S HORSE'S TAIL DISAPPEARING. Napoleou's famous charter Vizier, having worn out its third tail since his master's death, has just been supplied with a fourth Cowing appendage for the benefit of this summer's visitors to Paris. Vizier, except for his tail, is the "authentic" war horse ridden by Napoleon. After the animal's death the skin, was stutTed and placed anions the Napoleonic collection at the Invalides Mueenm. Of the three-tails that have already disappeared at the hands of. sightseers, despite the vigilance of the guardians, it is believed that at least two are iv America iv small detachments. SWISS WOMAN SOLICITOR. Another new profession has been opened to women in Switzerland after a test •.■ass which passed through several courts. The cantonal authorities of St. Gall had ref ased to allow Mile. Bament, though qualified for the profession, to practise as a solicitor, in spite of the fact that women may be barristers in this canton. MUe. Ham cut eventually took the case up to the Federal Tribunal, which Das just decided that tiie decision of the St. Gall authorities is unconstitutional and has quashed the judgment. In Switzerland there are already .practising women doctors, dentists, chemists, engineers, barristers, and one architect, PEGOTTD VINDICATE!}. Pegoud, the famous French ninmtn, learned last month that he has been freed from all shadow of suspicion with regard to the Milan sabotage case. It will be recalled that he was charged by a mechanic ■with having tampered with a machine b* Jiad sold to an Italian aviator for the ■purpose of "looping." The allegation v.a 9 that Fegood had bent a pipe in such a way as to cut off the petrol supply from the motor when the aeroplane was inverted, so that the machine would fall ■wit* its pilot like a stone. Pegoud, however. indignantly denied tne charge, which, te S«aid. had been, brought against Mm out ot spite, and the PubHc 'Prosecutor at Milan, ■where the affair occurred, has now «rith» drawn proceedings and placed on record a document vindicating the airman. INFATUATED GIRLS. Miss Lewy, a young KBjrKslinnomau, traa last month admitted to a hospital at Florence suffering from poisoning. She went to the Continent as private secretary to an 'Indian, and it was said that, effte had made ov?r to him a sum of £1,000. When Miss I.ewy was taken from Us home iu.e Indian disappeared. Be -was out 01 bail in connection with a criminal charge concerning another person. Tiuz Indian's irtfe is an Englishwoman. She states that sbf and Miss Lewy were bosnm friends im Ixjndon. There they went to lectures given by the Indian, and fell under .the 6peH of his eloquence and fris supposed "occnli"* powers. Both girls became desperately In love with him, and be married one of them. Then it was suggested that Miss Lewy should join the household as the secretary, and this plan was carried ont. When certain strange and grave rumonra began to spread, her uncle and two coasiae appeared on the scene, and her removal from the Indian's house was secured. Hftr motber also arrived. It is said that Aβ Indian and his English wife should renounce Miss Lewy's gift, which it is mug rcpo4fcrf amounts to £60 a year. SPY SWIMS ICY MOAT. Constant charges and countercltnEgee of espionage as -between TUissia on the one hand and Germany and Austria on the other are creating feelings of mntual irritability and indignation -which Iα the end ' may have considerable effect on the coarse of International relations. The latest Incident to occurr Is the arrest at Rrwly, on ttie Austrian side of the ItnssoOallelan frontier, of a 'Russian postal official name] Kopot, who, β-ccordirtg to Kieff reports which are published there, was accused by the A nutria n police ot bringing prohibited literature into Calicla and distributing it. ajai ipso facto of agitating for tie separation of Slav lands from Austria and their iochisiou in Russia. .Ml Kopot was confined to Brody gaol, and after being questioned once or twice by the Examining Magistrate resolved on attempting to escape. This he successfully accomplished by removing a -weak bar outside the -window of iis cell aod climbias down on a rope made of Ms bedclothes and Us own clothing. An alarm -was almost immediately raised, but Kopot evuded capture by hiding for rein* hours under a. pile of brushwood and swimming across the icy moat, theuce reaching Russian territory, ■where ie rdsteit bis experiences to the authorities at 'HeMviioff. He was lit. a tenflj^Tcstene^jJ cciidiUafia w