INTERESTING ITEMS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 313, 19 November 1910, Page 2

INTERESTING ITEMS.

The fault of the little business man is irregularity in the time of opening in the morning, and a similar capriciousness about closing at night. "It is, my own ship," he argues, "and 1 can do what I like with it." But he is wrong. Without customers the shop is useless to him—customers bring money to the till, money pays for goods and rent and sundry other things, likewise his living expenses. So the sooner he realises that the shop he runs is practically owned by his customers he sooner he will make headway.

How great is the future possibility of water power will be understood when it is mentioned that the available power of the Niagara Falls alone is nearly as much as that obtainable from the total coal output of the world. Numerous schemes have been floated for harnessing the power from this particular fall; the available power is said to be capable of producing from seven to ten million horse-power, and at the present lime there are five power stations, giving a maximum output of 320,000 horsepower.

"Within ten years people in this country will be building houses of glass, which will excel in sanitary appointments, beauty, and durability, and also low cost of maintenance, any type of structure of the present time." This was the interesting declaration made recently by Mr Roger S. Pease, one of t he oldest glassmakers in the United States. By glass houses Mr Pease meant just what he said. Foundations of concrete, the walls of wired glass, and the floors of tile, covered with a slight sheeting of wood —such a building (says Mr Pease) wi!l prove practically indestructable, can be made of any set of colours desired, and requires no painting, no papering inside, will be sound-proof, moisture-proof and fire-proof.

Lecturing at the Royal Photographic Society's exhibition, Dr Ward showed by a series of photographs that fish were able to express their emotions in a definite manner. The pike showed expectancy by raising its dorsal fin, and disappointment at losing its prey by curving its back —literally the fish "got the hump." Certain fish could also express fear by turning pale, their pigment cells changing to a lighter colour.

A novel plan of raising money for charity by the sale of stamps has been devised by the Queen of the Belgians. A new issue of Belgian stamps has been produced, which will be limited to a certain number, and each stamp is to be sold above its face value. Thus the Jd stamp costs Id, the Id stamps ljd, and so on. The extra money thus gained is to be devoted to a sanatorium for consumptive working people. The stamps bear a reproduction of Vandyck's famous picture of St. Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar. It is expected that about £20,000 will be raised by their sale.

A most interesting fan found its way into a London saleroom a short time ago. It was made of 20 leaves, covered with drawings and autographs of famous men and women, which were collected over a long period of years by a well-known lady. Some of the most famous painters of the day have contributed to it. Du Maurier's signature is accompanied by a portrait of Trilby; Sir Edward Eurne-Jones contributed a dancing girl. Kate Perugini (Charles Dickens' daughter) drew a child's head. There is a fawn painted by Whistler, and Marcus Stone, Lord Leighton, Walter Crane, and many other artists have added to its beauty and interest.

Although Miss Cissie Loftus is earning a record salary as a mimic, she confesses that she is very dissatisfied with her work. "When a manager thinks of me at all," she says, "it is simply as Cissie Loftus the mimic. Modjeaka, Irving, Ellen Terry, Sothern, have all said to me, 'Cissy, you can do anything,' but ths truth is, my imitations have kept me from getting other work." It may be remembered that a few years- ago Miss Loftus played Margaret to Irving's "Faust" at the London Lyceum, and accepted many important engagements with other managers. Meantime she has returned to her old -allegiance, but still hopes to again shine on the "legitimate" stage.

Among the many famous singers in the Metropolis is Madame de Reske, the Italian prima donna. She was once highly amused with a little girl aged four, who was intently studying the pictures in a book, and seemed very much interested in a picture of Charles Dickens. Taking the book to her mother young Josephine inquired who it was. "That is Dickens, dear," said her mother. The picture was wonderfully fascinating to the little girl, and when her big sister came from college in the evening she ran and got the book, turned to the picture, and said: "Sister, see! This is a picture of Mr Darn." Her sister replied: "No, dear, that is Mr Dickens." "Well," ejaculated the young enthusiast, "maybe it is, but at any rate I was sure it was some kind of swear word."

Ten years ago a girl of sixteen stopped Kubelik as he was leaving Queen's Hall and asked him to hear her play. Kubelik was sympathetic, heard her, and, delighted with her wonderful talent, personally introduced her to his master, Sevick. Two years later the girl made her debut in Vienna, and to-dry is one of the famous violinists of the world. But Miss Marie Hall has known what poverty means. It is not so many years since she was playing with her father, a harpist, in the streets. The two tramped from town to town, until Miss Hall's playing attracted the attention of a well-known teacher, who was astounded to find that, although only ten years of age, she knew most of Bach's sonatas by heart.