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Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 5

“Looking back on a disagreeable war, there were humorous incidents, and I often think on those days and laugh over some of the things that happened,” said the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, at a gathering of ex-soldiers in Auckland. “War would be terrible if it was not for some humour,” he said. One of these humorous recollections was told by His Excellency. In the early days of hostilities he had made his headquarters at a little farmhouse near Mons. By a strange coincidence, after traversing the whole front and making the round trip, as it were, he found himself back at the same farmhouse just before the Armistice. “I decided to make my headquarters there again, and went to the door of. the farmhouse,” said' Sir Charles. On knocking at the door I was greeted by the same old lady, with the same shawl wrapped around her head, the same old clothes, and suffering with the sl ** n * sniffling cold. ‘Do you remember me.' 1 said to her. ‘Oh, yes,’ she replied, you are the British General who ran away at the beginning of the war.’ ” (LaughterJ

In the vestibule of the Dunedin Public Library may now be seen a choice antique book that was presented by Samuel Pepys, of diary fame, to Thomas Thoroton in 1690, carrying the giver s' signature (states the “Star”). The book is Rycaut’s “History of the Turkish Empire.” Evidently Pepys bad a partiality for it, since he possessed four copies, lhe last purchase is referred to in his diary, wherein he writes that when he applied to his bookseller he was asked 50s. for a copy, whereas the price was Bs. before the fire. The great fire of London was the fire thus written of, and it was in 1666. In it all the copies of Ryeauts book but twenty-two were burned, lhe Pepys signature is certified as genuine. The lender to the Dunedin Library tooa the trouble to write to Mr. Morsehead, librarian at Windsor Castle, and his reply, after seeing facsimile, is that the handwriting is undoubtedly that of Pepys. Two other, treasures received for the Dunedin Library from the same lender are n letter from and a portrait of Charles Kingsley, also s note written by John Bright with an accompanying portrait.