GOSSIP FROM ABROAD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 657, 6 November 1909, Page 11

GOSSIP FROM ABROAD.

One of the best known organists in London, and. probably .the oldest, -is a woman, Miss •lillen, Day. She is eighty-one years' old and has .-.been/' before .tho public ever, since /she was eight .-'years;'old. .'She played for Queen Victoria .shortly,!after her first appearance'on the 'concert stafee, and'she was attracted at once to the young.Queen, 'who was "plump ,and healthy ■looking; with- a' rosy'face arid' a kind, self-' possessed way,", and yras only .ten years older than the' little musician.' The '. DuchessV;of Kerit,'h'ef mother, was with.the Queen, and also a man in military uniform; 'The child handed'her boot of music to , tho Queen, asking her to; select, something for -her to, jijny,; iJind.experienced:a 'momentary..feeling ' p when' her .Majesty, named.,,two pieces..tna£she had'not practised. But she did her best, and the Queen and the Duchess were ."most kind." "•'Miss Day ,knew ; Meri,delssohnv Liszt,'arid;,Chopin, and gave.,'music lessoris.Vto I the children of ißalfe..'..■■■ ■'..'. ..':•.■;.„ ; The "Labour Bureau of the Chicago Civil Comriussionis in charge of a woman. For'seven years Mrs.- Ella' M'Call has held this position, employing labourers for all classes of work connected'with the city,"such as cleaning the streets, digging' sewers,- laying waterpipes,- etc.-!-At first, she'found her billet very, trying, because 'the, Jaw. 'required, that all : employees, should-be citizens, and hundreds of inimigra'nls wouldapply who were badly, in need of work, but had, not, been naturalised. . A: couple .of years ago .-she conceived the idea of getting these. men r work ■ unofficiallyi' 'arid'- so successful has she been- that last -year she placed 4000 in addition:'to";the 8000 employed by the city. At. first 'the did,, not .'..'know Whether, they, should- approve of Mrs. M'Call's "side";line," 'but ,now- they are all 'converted. ■■-■ A. woman'journalist, Mme. Flamonkova,'. has just been given permission to sit in the press gallery' and report' the proceedings of the Berlin' Landtag. It is said to be the firsftimo this privilege has .been , extended. to. a woman in Germany. ■'•'■':'■■'■' .-:', ■..-■.'•' ■ -The question of-igiving women . municipal suffrage is at'present before the French Parliament. Eight years ago the Bill'.' was first in-, trodue'ed, but'was dropped without/discussion;. ■It was'brought up again-three years ago,, and again shelved; but tins'time, it seems as if the matter.will really be considered seriously,'for a referendum is-being taken'on the subject.