ABOUT NOTABLE PEOPLE.

North Otago Times, 8 January 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

ABOUT NOTABLE PEOPLE.

A short while ago a sculptor asked ; Mrs. Roosevelt to help him to obtain a life mask of the President. "How lcyng would it take to make tho cast?" she asked. "About, twenty minutes," replied tho sculp- i tor. "Then that settles it," said , Mrs. Roosevelt. "It is quite out of j the question, for no human power , could induce my.husband to remain still for twenty minutes consecutively." ■ SUCH IS FAME. One more story about Mark Twain. Two men were rending a sporting paper in the four ale bar of a public house. "Who is this 'ere Mark Twain wot I reads abaht ?" one asked. "Dont y' know?" said the other. " 'E's the big jockey wot's come over 'ere tcr ride for the King -lots of good it'll do 'im. I.'card say 'as 'e was Tod Sloan, disguised. But J aint gointer put no bloom'n' oof on 'im, wotsomever." LORD STRATHCONA AND THE SIMPLE LIKE. Arc two nicnls a day conductive to longevity? We should think they are, judging from the life of Lord Strathcona, who is a champion of the simple life and a devoted exponent of the "two meals a day" theory. Breakfast at half-past eight usually consists of porridge and milk, toast and" 1 marmalade, and tea with hot water added. Not until seven o'clock in the evening does the High Commissioner cat anything else, or drink any stimulant. He then sits down to a simple meal consisting of soup, fish, fowl, and tablewater. Sir Thomas Barlow has described Lord Strathcona as "an ideal dietist." Nothing will tempt him from his simple nourishing diet, and in his eighty-seventh year he keeps his active body and mind working in harmony on two meals a day. MADE 12,000,000 PEOPLE TAKE THE PLEDGE. "The world's greatest temperance preacher," is an inscription which might well be placed on the tombstone of Francis .Murphy, who lias just died in Los Angeles, Cal., for it is claimed for him that he induced no fewer than 12,000,000 people to Eign the pledge. Mr. Murphy was born in Ireland in 1836, and, after making his home in America, joined the Pnion army, He soon, however, engaged in the temperance campaign, which subsequently absorbed the best of his energies. He was a great organiser of temperance reform clubs, and it is recorded that after his eloquent addresses at Pittsburg 45,000 people signed the pledge in what was called the "Old Home Church." His work spread throughout the country, and finally his converts to total abstinence were counted by millions. THE KING AND TIPPING. In his own houses the King has thoughtfully tried to do away, as far as possible—it is impossible to do away with it entirely-with tipping, which in the last years has grown to such an outrageous extent that all but rich men find it a tax to accept invitations at country houses. First to one friend, then to another, the King suggested that "tipping boxes" should be put up in their halls, rather than encourage that "promiscuous brigandage" which makes an invitation to a big country house such a terror to many humble mortafls.—"The Grand Magazine." PREMIERS AND LONGEVITY. The fact that Sir Henry CampbcllBannerman, who celebrated his 71st birthday in September, is not only Premier, but also Father of the House of Commons, invites comparison with the ages of other Prime Ministers of the past, Mr. Balfour reached fifty-nine on the 25 of July, at which age, curiously enough, Mr. Gladstone first succeeded to tho Premiership, It was not until nearly thirty years Hater that the "G.0.M." passed away, and broke the record which had been held by Lord Sidmouth, who dich at the age of over eighty-six. Other octogenarian Pre- ' miers were Earl Russell, who nearly completed his eighty-sixth year, and to the last strenuously advocated popular measures, in spite of the nickname of "Finality Jack" which was bestowed upon him and his declaration in favor of "resting and be thankful": the "Iron Duke," who lived to celebrate his eighty-second birthday, and Lord Palmcrst<yi and Earl Grey, who both died at eightyone. Of the other Prime .Ministers of the Queen who are dead, Disraeli's age was seventy-seven, the Earl of Aberdeen's seventy-six, the Earl of Derby's seventy, Yiscount Melbourne sixty-nine, and Sir Robert peel sixtytwo.

MR. HALL CAINE IN MOROCCO. Perhaps there is no other living novelist who is so particular ami exact in acquiring details concerning tho habits and thoughts of the people of whom he is writing, and who goes to such great pains to secure local colour at first hand us does Mr. Hall Caine, as witness his visit to Iceland when writing his novel "The I'rodignl Son." In this connection it is interesting to note, more especially having regard to the late troubles in Morocco, which have recently culminated in the capture 0/ Kaid Sir Harry Maclean, that Mr. Hall Caine, a few years hack, spent some considerable time in that most interesting country, gathering together material and information regarding the mode of life of the people 01" that mystic land of the Mahdi, and, incidentally, of brigands, which he afterwards \ised with such telling effect in his famous novel "The Scapegoat," which will shortly be included in Newnes 1 series of Sixpenny Famous Xovcls. That Mr. Hall t Caine is fully qualified to write on Moroccan affairs is evident when we recall (he fact that, on his visit to that country, he had several interviews and interesting conversations with both Sir Harry Maclean and Jiaisuli, and, indeed, only missed being taken captive and held to ransom by that picturesque personage, when his friend, Mr. Pcrdicaris, was taken into captivity by this enterprising brigand, by the merest accident, as, had he but arrived in Tangier a short time "earlier, than he did he, too, would assuredly have also been arrested by Rnisuli in order to interest the English Government in tho affair.

MAN OF BLOOD AND STEEL. Lord Kitchener is the most impassive Englishman of the present day. He speaks with all the calmness of a business letter, and it is impossible to detect tho slightest element of human sympathy in his voice or manner. It is only when angry that he becomes in any way emotional, and then his wrath is fearful. On one occasion a colonel of cavalry made a dashing charge, . and routed part of the enemy; but the movenjent had not been ordered, and, in a measure, it upset his lordship's plans. "You fool I" cried Kitchener, riding up to the officer, his face livid with rage. "I'd like to shoot you tor this I"

Only once has he been kissed, to tar as records show, That mm by a iltUe girt in Cape town, after a banfwtf- Tto fhOd 0m Www !w

arms around his neck and imprinted I her lips upon his check,; but the general showed not the faintest sign of embarrassment, amusement or pleasure. LOUD ROSEHERRY 'WAS ■LEFf. Lord Roseberry once held the view that a well-trained coachman should never look, behind him, but lie thinks otherwise now. His lordship t had just arrived at a little station sqmc half-dozen miles from Dnlmeny, and, in accordance with his orders, found his brougham wailing for him. On seeing his master, the coachman touched his hat and then gazed stolidly in iron" of him. Lord Roscbcry threw in his nig, and then remembered that he wanted an evening paper. So he shut the carriage door and returned to the station to get one. When he came back he discovered that his coachman, having heard the O door close, and imagining his master was safely inside, had driven off home. His lordship had to take a cab, to the great delight of the driver he selected. He is vory popular with all the cabbies about Edinburgh, for he is, as they will assure you, a real [liberal. He pays a sovereign :i time and if that is not a proof of liberal views, what is ? LIBIIY LAUGHED. The Right Hon. Henry Labouchcro lias the satisfaction of knowing that lie has probably done more than any other man of his time to expose swincOcs and slinn.B.

Devoid of fear, he has, time and again, been so outspoken that it was inevitable that the people whom he denounced should bring actions for slander against him. It was during tho hearing of one of these cna's that an amusing incident occurred. A brawny countryman buttonholed Mr. Labouchcre as he entered the court, nnd, not understanding that the action was a civil one, but imagining that the editor would be in the criminal dock, he asked :

"Say, mister, can you tell me the court where Labby's to be tried?" At once perceiving the humour of the situntiryi, Mr. Labouchcre led tho man into the court, and, pointing to a red-haired rnllian, being tried for burglary, whispered ; "Tliere',s Lobby !" Then he disappeared.