ABOUT NOTABLE PEOPLE

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2644, 28 January 1908, Page 7

ABOUT NOTABLE PEOPLE

AN AB3ENT-MINDED NOVELIST.

The gifted author of "The Heavenly Twins," Madame Sarah Grand, in inclined to be somewhat absentminded. A visitor, it is said, once found her with a big volume on her knet-s. looking much disturbed. Asked what was the matter, the novelist sr.id that she had lost her pen. which she particularly wanted in order to write an important letter. "Where are you looking for it ?" asked the \isitor. Madame Orand glanced first at the questioner and then at the look. "I do believe." she faltered. "I was looking for it among the Ps' in the dictionary." PATTI AND THE PARROT. Madame Patti's fondness for parrots is well known. Some years ago while in Xew York, she was beguiled into giving £2OO fqr a parrot, which, so the dealer assured her. had a most comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the English language. Once in her possession, the bird became absolutely dumb, and neither prayers nor entreaties were able to draw from him as much as a single syllable. One day Patti fell a victim j to a throat. Being engaged to j sing in the evening, and anxious for immediate relief, she sent for the doctor. As the medical man entered the room, before the prima donna rould speak, her bird croaked forth, "Oh ! doctor, I'm so sick !" It then relapsed into a silence which has never since been broken.

AN EMPEROR WITHOUT A SMILE

It is an astonishing fact that among the thousands of photographs of the Kaiser that are sold in England. most of which are snapshots taken without authorisation, there Is not one which shows him smiling. Probably he considers such a pose beneath the Imperial dignity. A good stcyy is being told of an artist who was summoned recently to Potsdam to take a picture of the Emperor. The photograph was taken, and in due time the proofs were sent to his Majesty, who ordered the luckless artist to destroy the negatives immediately. It subsequently transpired that when the artist wished him to turn his head a little to one side, the Kaiser smiled, and that when he saw the proofs he was indignant that the Emperor of Germany should be caught smiling.

THE INVENTOR OF THE GYROSCOPE.

Mr. Brennan. who.se .gyroscope train ficcius to have made the nearest approach to a practical flying-machine yet'invented, is by birth an Irishman, hut migrated to Australia when quite young, securing employment in a Melbourne wherehouse in a humble capacity. There a large consignment of clocks was received from England, very much damaged in transit. Young Brennan. who had always exhibited mechanical aptitude puzzled over the defects, and set them all right. From clocks he advanced by stages to torpedoes, and eventually sold the Ilrennan tor|>edo to the British Government for L 120,000. ADMIRAL ALEXIEFF IN FAVOUR AGAIN. Admiral AlexielT. .formerly the Russian Viceroy in the Far East, whose star has been beclouded somewhat since the Japanese successes in Manchuria, seems to have once more recovered llie favour of the Czar in connection with the downfall of Admiral IJirilefi at the Ministry «>f Marine. The suppression of the latter. who is a bluff sea-dog. ancf who in a most unconditional manner has rebuked delinquent officers regardless of their influence at Court, is traceable largely to the operations of the cirque of drawing-room sailors and others who have been opposing any investigation into the scandals of the grand ducal regime. During the recent conferences at Tsarskoe-S"lo. to which Admiral AlexielT and all the other prominent naval officers were summoned, this organised ciiqiie rallied around the former Viceroy, and succeeded in winning the Emi>eror o\er to its side. Whether he will ever r-cover his lost prestipe in the eys of unprejudiced critics is another matter.

AN ARCHDEACON IN MARK TWAIN S HAT.

Mark Twain has treated us to some funny stories, but it is doubtful if any have caused more amusement than an incident which he told the Pilgrims concerning himself and Archdeacon Wilberforce. Both were at a luncheon party one day, and, says the famous humorist, the reverend gentleman "came out before the luncheon was over, sorted out the hats in the hall, and selected one which suited him. It happened to l>e mine, and he went ofT with it. when f came out I could find no hat except his which would go on my head. I had been receiving a good many nice and complimentary attentions. and my head was just a coupl? of sizes larger than usual, and his hat just suited me. The bumps and corners weir all right intellectually. Of course, the Archdeacon found out his mistake, and wrote n»; saying that nil the way home, whenever he met anybody, his gravities, his solemnities. his deep thoughts, and his eloquent remarks were all snatched up by the people he met and mistaken for brilliant humorisms."

The sequel was amusing. Mark thought he would have the hat he hart stolen—he merely accuses the Archd-acon of taking his—ironed, and called at a big shop. The courteous shopman duly performed the operation, and when the humorist a9ked "How much ?" he was told that they did not charge the clergy anything. That was seven years ago and 3Tark Twain confesses that one of the first things he did when he went to England again was to hunt up that shop and hand in his hat to be ironed. He wanted something for nothing : but. alas ! when he asked the charge the shopman said '"Xinepence." HOW THE AMEER AMUSES HIMSELF. The Ameer of Afghanistan finds his chief amusement in cooking, and is said to lie u l>etter chef than thostin his |ialare kitchens. He is fond of tennis and cricket, and takes a great interest in the magic-lantern, and has a good knowledge of mechanical work, pained from the Cahul factories, where l>etween four and Ave thousand men are employed in the manufacture of arms, cartridges, harness, soap, furniture, etc. THE TWO WINSTON'S. Mr. Winston Churchill, who helped

the Commoners to- victory, has always been passionately devoted to polo Nearly everyone is acquainted with the details of his venturesome and exciting career, and it is somewhat curious that America should be able to boast of a Winston Churchill who is almost as striking a personality as the Under-Secretary. Both apper.l to vast constituencies with the product of their pens ; both have been war correspondents : and both, in spite of their relative youth, are giants on the platform. For the Winston of America is a keen politician. who. if report be true, already has his eye on the Presidency, although he is only in the middle of the thirties. CIIOPIK AND CHESS. There is, ixrhaps, no sounder musician living than Sir Walter Parratt, the Master of the King's Music and it would require soim-thing of a musical genius to accomplish the feat Sir Walter performed when staying with some musical friends at Tenby some years ago. To while away the evening chess was suggcsti-d and Sir Walter proposed that he should sit at the piano and play from memory, while he opposed his two friends on the chess-board at the same time. The challenge was accepted, and. with his back to the board. Sir Walter sat at the piano and played Chopin and Mendelssohn, calling out his moves whenever necessary. He won the game in threequarters of an hour. i