HERE AND THERE.

North Otago Times, 20 September 1904, Page 4

HERE AND THERE.

to , f • Most people dwelling in great, cities t seem to think thalt tho okl-foshionotV t fair ground, with ils roundabouts and ' its slums, is pretty well a tiling of tho 1 past. Eut in reality, Hiiro never was ' so vatifc an amount of capital sunk in ' tho show business as at tho prcsonib! timo. One steam roundabout company'! has nioro than £50,000 sunk in tho \ business, and pays a vory handsome' : dividend, and at least two travelling \ wild beast shows aro respectively in- ( surcd_ for £12,000 each. In. peabooths ( —an institution much beloved in north- j country fair grounds—something liko , £20,000 is invested, to far as Sheffield and Leeds alouo go. | * » # Railways hi Hollaind arc so carefully t managed that tho accidental deaths oil tlicin avorago only ono a year for tho i entiro country. *. * * ' In the llritisli steel penmaklng trado i thero aro over 3,000 women employed, i nearly ten timw the number of men | win wiivl' in tliiu iudustiY. * * • » » • - Blenkinsop slept in a, haunted hoiiso. ' About ono o'clock iii tho morning ho awoke with tho knowledge that the flickering g:w jet was filling tho room with weird shadows and that a bkwt of cold air was swooping through tho room. It war, uncanny; but there was worse to come. Glancing at the foot of the' bed ho saw tin dim outline of a hand, en Iho bedrail. Even his iron courage! tailed. Grasping a revolver he had provided in citf) of accidents, he point-,' ed it at the hand. "Whai'.cver ghost you may be," \ K qnavcivd, "take your ham! from tho bedrail or I fire!" Thero was no reply and no movement, of tho hand. O.ily '.he wind howled in tho trees outside. Then hang! lung! went tho pistol. And that is why [Jlc-nkiiisop limps. Ho shot off two of! his own bos. ' » » « • • • .Nino hundred pounds was the cost of' iho cake provided at the wedding of Mr; A ; t>;-, tho American millionaire, to ..Miss, Willii,!.;, at New York. The Prinee,;s Hoalrico's wedding cake was worth £300,' It weighed Gcwt., was Oft. in height,', and of I. in diameter. Six .months was! required for modelling Iho crnauieiiln.' among which were I.SOO sprays ofj sugiired leaves of ivy, clematis, roses, honeysuckle, and other plants. It was made in tho royal kitchen, ami was eon-' veyed to Osborne in a, special van, 12 men being required to lift it, Tho wedding cake provided on tho marriago of tho Princess Louiso with tho Mo : of Fife, also made by the Queen's own confectioner, was nearly Gft in height, and weighed lewt 3iilb. ■} • # « A Comparative recent craze, says I'.A.T., in for cigar ribbons, cut 'of which fancy tablecloths, quilts, etc.. are made. Railway tickets arc being collre'.ed, often at considerable risk and espouse, by hundreds of enthusiasts. An authoress has collected buttons for over M years, and now pcsscn's over 8,000. A Canadian gentleman has made a collection of tlm buttons .•mil badgos of tho uniforms of every regiment and department xl corps in the Uritisli Army, speiuljiii; nine years of labour and several liundred pounds upon his hobby. A bootblack, whoso pitch is in the vicinity of Ludgato Hill Railway Station is said to possess tho_ finest collection of cigarette pictures in Kngland. It mimbers ever 1030. An American has formed the "champion" collection of drums 'of all countries, and ho has over seven hundred examples. Perhaps tho strangest of these many strange fads'ls that indulged in by Mr Charles Rothschild, who has spent thousands of pounds .iii collecting fleas. Tho particular brand of pulex irritans, which has for its host tho artic fox—itself ono of tho cearcesl of land mammals—ie said to be j worth £800; other choico varieties aro I priced as much as £3OO to £4OO apiece,

A .tfv X. wished to havo a telephone put in his house, hut his aged mother vigorously protested against it. "Robert," sho said, "if you bring one of tltDso dreadful tilings in here I'll never close my eyes for fear it may break out and sweep us all into oternity, and us not a bit the wiser." Mr X. tried to persuade her it was a most harmless instrument, hut she raid. "tfo, no; look at tho thousands—ay, *■. Millions—of poor Hindus it killed last autumn." "Why,* oxelaimed ha, "that wasn't a' telephone, mother; that was a typhoon." Hut tho timid old lady lowered her spectacles and, looking at him over tho rims thereof, said:—"l r ou need not try to niako a fool of mo, ltobort. I perhaps don't know very much, hut i do know that tho typhoon is tho Emperor of Japan." iMr X. gavo it up as a hope- 1 loss caso.

JJotli the King and Qucon of Italy nro i fftnd of sport, the Quccu especially so.. Shu is an excellent shot, and a wonder-;i ful climber. When in Montenegro shell announced her intention of revisiting, i on foot tho mountains about Cetfigne.j: Her Italian ladies-in-waiting ghmccdj' at each other in consternation, and all.;' villi ono exception, begged to ho ex-i wised, tho request being good-naturedly granted. One, however, young and : lovely, ambitious for tho favour of her mistress, determined to brave all ami go too. Tho next morning n.t G all had gathered except tho venturesome lady.j who at last appeared in .1 gown with a" train, which, however, had been all. carefully pinned up, scent bottle in: hand, and in high-heeled, thin kid'l slippers. Tho Queen took in this vision, and remarked similingly that she look-: od pale, that evidently she was noti feeling well, and had better not. undertake so arduous a climb. The hint wasl accepted, she stayed behind, but lost ' nothing, as she has since been prime I favourite, and often laughs over the in-l cidont with her royal friend, who says: "Never forget again that you aro ornamental." I *• • > 1 Luta' had a very geirif.l, kindly 1 wit—never harsh or cruel, yet often \ incisivo (writes Profeoor Clark). When' ho was Propraetor at Oxford an opportunity occurred for his exercise of this gift. This story I was told by ono who took part in the incident. A friend of his had been plucked several times, and in tho better colleges it was ouslomaryl to ask Mieh men (0 take their names off! tho books, M that lime a man could' not 1» a member of the university unless bo belonged to a college. The dismissed student .thought that this was a good opportunity of "getting a rise" out of a proctor; so ho told his friend if ho would walk up tho High street with him, he would smoko a cigar (a thing unlawful for undergraduates in tho public streets). His friend agreed, and the candidate for honours in conflict with tlie proctor proceeded to smoko his cigar in tho most ostentatious manner, so that ho could not possibly be overlooked. It'so happened that as they passed Queen's College, Liddon,'tlio Proproctor, emerged from the gato, and, seeing tho violation of tlio rules, ho raised his cap, as ij tho custom with proctors, and said—"l?log your pardon, sir, but I must csk your name and

dbllcgo. You musHS mm that ft Ts ' nob allowed to smoko in the High Bfcreet." "Oh. I beg your pardon, sir,?' ' said tho man; "I am nob a member of j tho university." "Oh," said Liddom, with a quito smilo and a gracious bow, "I am sincoroly thankful to hoar it.' TliifJ was docidedly a ba,oklmndor. "Oh," said tlio man to his companion, "shouldn't) 1 like to punch his head." if » «_ *"'■ An interesting contribution to tho history of musical scales by Mr 0. K. Wead has just boon published by tho U.S. National Museum. Threo centuries iboforo tlio Ohistian era, the • Grcok musician ArisJtoxcnus pointed out that wlulo tho voice, in ' speaking, changea its pitch by insensible gradations, in.singing it moves usually by leaps or steps, Most peoplo who have attained any modcrato degree of civilisation havo utitompted to llimit tho number of stops to bo taken by the voice in any song between tho niglicst and lowest note, and lo fix those steps by [ rules. In earlier days, 'however, no' definito musioal Scale of notes existed, and tho voico of man was as free as regards musical utterance as that of birds. After this sUigo of primitive imi.-'c camo tlio stago. of. instruments mechanically Capable of giving a scalo of notes. Tho commonest instrtimcnttl of this kind aro flutes, the holes of which aro in so:no casoa arranged in two groups. Flutes wero used by prehistoric man, and instruments with from three lo six holes havo boon obtained from early tombs in Egypt. * * t To obtain information as to tho general direction and rate of ocean! currents; Mr H. C. Russell, Govern,-1 Inonl) Astronomer of New South Wales,] liw tor several yoavs amuigcd for scaled bottles to bo thrown overboard from ships in various parts of tlio world. Each bottlo contains a paper giving tho date and position when it wan thrown into tlio sea, and asking for similar particulars from the person who [recovers it, In his latest report upon; tho results, Mr Russoll states that onoi bottlo thrown overboard in tho Soc'otra. Sea on January 28, was found in tho! iGulf of Aden on February of having! , travelled 350 miles in 12 days', or on tho i average, moro than 29 miles a day, This) 'is ono of tho most rapid drifts yet rc-i IcoriVd fof ocean waters. | i' ■ * * * ." i ! In outspoken terms tlio Bishop of! 'ropolis, Ho estimated (says "Tlio Dailyj 'News") that, fchoro were 28,000 unhappy! women in London engaged in tlio most appalling of all vocations, So terrible! a curse can wily be diminished by co-j operation between tho Churches and the municipal bodies, and wo gladly recall tlio refreshing object lesson of Mr F. 15, Meyer and Mr Tolefreo PaiT allying themselves with the Bishop of Rochester in a quiet, but effective, campaigu against Aouscs throughout certain areas of South London, It is by such iutor-denominational alliances that wo sliall arrivo at a hotter England, as well as a more tolerant and activo Christianity, A word is due also lo tho borough councils, which havo a good record so far as this particular problem is concerned, Prevention is, of course, better than on re, and we welcome, therefore, tlio scheme at Binning* ham, which is duo to tho energy of a local vicar, tho Rev J, 11. Richards, who is esablishing. at a cost of £'3ooo, an institution for working girls—now too often found spending their evenings in tho publio house'. Drink is the feeder of all otlior form of vice, and tho most patriotio work, as well as Hie most Christ-like work, in which the churches can engage is in combating its influence., not only by opposing such shameful schemes as that of tho Government, but in positive work such as that of Mr-Richards. % « <fta interesting anecdotal paper, cloal't ing with the early life, of tho new , Popo, is contributed to the December , number of ''The Pull Mall Magazine" by tho Rev Alexander Robertson. "He often played chess," ho writes, "and a game called 'briscolo' with younger people. This is a gamo of chance that is played with carets. Italians, as a nation, and as individuals, lay and clerical, are all given to gambling. Peisonally, Ido not know a sinelo priest who does not engage in it, and tlio curate of Tonibolo wad no exception. Another Italian weakness which ho shared, and which ho developed at Tonibolo, was running into debt. In his c.ise this was.not due to self-indulgence, for it was little he spent upon himself, but rather to an almost indiscriminate lending and giving. When he. left Tonibolo, he left a few debts behind him, especially om of 200 francs to a certain Zambusi, ami he, himself, has told how he was ashamed to return to the village till he was able to pay what he owed, and thi< was not till he besame liishop of .ManIlia."

Tlio problem of cliristoniiig children, it appears, is a very umal! one coiuparcil . with the question of Clio proper name ■for it bosk. Tim life of some recent I popitlp.r novels have ofU'ii undergone iextraordinary evolutions in order to | reach Ilia final satisfactory stago. I "Judo tiki Obscure" was first entitled • "flio Simpletons." a name which gave i place at the vory last moment to a later ami b -ttcr title, for during itu appearance in serial form it was known as "Hearts Insurgent." Sir Gilbert Parker's 'Tho Bight, of Way" was si first in the author's manuscript "Charlie jfioll,'' and later "Charley Steele;" and 1 'Tho La.no that has Xo Turning," by .tho fjfwuo author, was until the time of ; its going to press called "The Golden .Spoon." "Lady Hose's Daughter" wss in manuscript "A Woman of Talent.' 1 • >, * • I Tho "Book iiioiitlily" tells Hiis stoi-j of Mr John 'Mcrlcy and liis great booi on Gladstone. He was asked, when \v I had finished it, whether he did not fee! relieved. "Yes," was his answer, "J lam very thankful—and very lonely." » » » I King Edward is very punctilious h J tho matter of his birthday totters ant i tolograms, and each year those con Igratulatory messages a.ro counted up, s( ! that every one knows whether there h an increaso 'or falling off in tho current number as compared with these received on previous occasions. Tin number of birthday gifts received bj 1 His Majesty this year (remarks "Tin ' Onlooker") aro aid to be even mon j numerous than for his birthday ii I coronation yoar. Jewelled trifles, ii novel shapes, wore numerous from hii guests at Saiidringham, and the Ear of 'Dudley's gift was especially appro elated. It is a matchbox of quite .' now shapo, being round and very thin tho insido coated with blue enamel wy with saphires, tho patent spring beinj marked by ono beautiful blue- stone Tho outsido is of wbito enamel, wi'tl ' roses, thistles and shamrocks, and tin 1 royal crown carrying out exquisitely ii oolourcd cnamek , t » i !A! writer in tho current numebr ol i "Tlio British Eoalm" says of Lore Kitchener, wlno has met _ with such a serious accident, tlialt, like lago, k • does not "wear bis heart upon hi , Sleeve for daws to peck at," but hoto^

ess tw^^s mail mhoi follows through life theVomijjil who nursed him as a ohild, who never 'misses an opportunity -jof sooing thnjli old nurso, is not heartless; and if ho litis hostitalted at the lottery of marriage, fyo is nob tho only bravo nuuii who! bjuj shrunk from tha edge of tliat p«mrloUß cliff. No j it k a coitoadictioii of njlj 1 , tlio tava of human nature to nijriM that from a toeing so gifted thtss mis boon left oiut tliat sjjproraa gift of Mj ing and of love." -Train] Quoon!, iVi<j< torj»' spokd of his first! visit to, ji'oiri at Balmoral, she said I :—"Tliey jstifl.. lie hatea women; I cato only, any]' ]»e!.'>#i '7017, nico to mo," .^V^v:^.