ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9022, 7 April 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[fkom the society papebs.]

Apropos of the lovely pearl necklaces wcrni on various state occasions by all the daughters of our Queen, the story goes that Hep Majesty has a particular affection for pearls, and that it has been her custom to collect by degrees the gems which make up the various necklaces, completing each by the time of the marriage of the Princess for whom it was intended. There is something particularly graceful in the kind and motherly thoughtfulness suggested by this plan. On one occasion, however, the Queen was considerably the loser by this mode of buying pearl necklaces. It seems that she had purchased three pearls, valued together ata nearly £600, and had left them on her writing desk, wrapped in tissue paper. Ona morning shortly afterwards she wiped hetf pen hastily on the tissue paper, and threw it at once into the fire, quite forgetting, till it was too late, that the pearls and the paper had gone in together. The ashes of the grate were searched in vain ; the precious jewels had been completely destroyed. Later on, the jeweller who had served the Queen on this occasion, was greatly sui> prised to receive a letter, saying, " The" Queen wants to know very much if pearla will burn." Unfortunately his affirmative answer proved conclusively that the valuable gems were gone past all recovery.

The Duke of Norfolk only accepted tha office of Envoy Extraordinary to the Pope on the express condition that all the expenses of the mission should be defrayed by himself. It is very seldom that the "old nobility" manifest their independence and public spirit in this practical way, and I hope that the Duke's excellent example will be widely followed on similar occasions iu future.

A rather significant incident is reported to me from Berlin. On New Year's Day, when it is usual for everyone to call on one's friends and acquaintances, the Princess William went in person to the house of the Reverend Herr Stoeker to present him with her felicitations. Now, when it is remembered that Pastor Stoeker is the virulent and outspoken leader of the Anti-Semitic party in Germany, and that he has very nearly brought about anti-Jewish riots by his denunciation of Hebrews in the Fatherland, it will be seen that the act of the Princess William was one of great significance; none the less so, when one recollects that the Crown Prince and Princess did all they could when Stoeker was preaching his antiJewish crusade to discourage and discredit his wicked endeavours to cause strife and bloodshed. It need hardly be added that the Jew-b'aiting party in Germany has derived much encouragement from the Princess William's social action, which, it may be fairly assumed, was performed at her husband's bidding.

The "Greatest Circulation" has raised the question of "Luck," and some of its correspondents have alluded to the superstition of racing men. I can add a small incident that once came under my own notice. I once went to church with a certain sportsman who had some horses in training. Afe the appointed time the offertory bags were handed round, and when my friend's eye fell on these dainty reticules, he felt in his pockets, and, notfindingthatwhichhesoughfe turned to me, and whispered for the loan of half a sovereign". When the bag was placed in front of. him he quietly dropped the token of ten shillings into it. It occurred to me that the act savoured somewhat of extravagance and I told him as much on our homeward way. His answer, however, greatly relieved my doubts. " Didn't you see," he asked, " the offertory bags were white and gold?" And, indeed, these were my superstitious friend's racing colours.

There was a strange scene a few days ago at a sale in Edinburgh. An old and ordinary copy of the Bible was put up, and the bidding went on between two ladies until the incredible price of £160 was reached, when the hammer fell amidst loud cheering. It transpired that the Bible (the intrinsic value of which was perhaps a half-a-crown) had belonged to a deceased relative of the ladies, each of whom was determined to obtain it, and as they could afford to indulge the fancy, their relative's estate benefited greatly by their obstinacy.

The German translation of Zola's "La Terre" has been seized by the police at Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Dresden, and its sale is forbidden ; but, oddly enough, the original French publication is still allowed to be offered for sale. I recently glanced over the book, and more unmitigated and unadulterated filth never was written by an author of repute.

The London correspondent of the Liverpool Daily Post thus describes the entrance of the member for Rochester into the House of Commons:—"Colonel Hughes-Halletb turned up very early in the new session, walking in very shortly after luncheon, wearing in his buttonhole the white flower of a blameless life. Colonel Hughes-Halletb was a year ago one of the most widelyknown men in the House of Commons. He knew everybody, and was always ready to chat. It was curious to see how carefully he was avoided to-day. He made no advances to anyone, and exceedingly few spoke to him."

Dairy produce and poetry may seem very far removed from each other in the natural order of things, and to name butter and cream in connection with the poet laureate may seem absurd. Yefc we learn that Lady Tennyson's dairy, under the management of Mrs. Hallam Tennyson, is well known for the excellence of the butter, cream, and milk which it sends to market. There is said to be an increasing demand throughout; the Isle of Wight for the produce of the poet laureate's dairy, and we are assured that this demand arises from the appreciation of the goodness of the articles produced, and not from admiration of the owner.

I suspect the uninitiated believe that the flower to be worn in the masculine buttonhole depends entirely on the taste of the wearer, and that each individual follows his own sweet will; but not a bit of it. Fashion, which the sterner sex pretends to despise, comes in here even with her iron hand, and passes a decree which everybody who thinks himself anybody must at once follow. This year lilies of the valley are the most fashionable flower for men to wear, more especially for evening or weddings, and nothing else will do. A year or two back it> was gardinias, then a pink piccotee ; and bo the changes are rune, even with regard to, such a tiny item as the flower for the masculine buttonhole

The cellar of the late Stewart of Glenogle, Forfarshire, has just been sold in Edinburgh. Good prices were obtained. Ports of 1884 and 1847 fetched 110 shillings; sherry, thirty years in the bottle, 100 shillings; East India Madeira, 80 shillings; Lafitte, 1858, 125 shillings; Steinberg, 1862, 150 shillings; and rum, certified eighty years old, 14 shillings per bottle.

Lord Eeher made an amusing remark the other day to a barrister who was fighting a losing battle with doeged persistency, as a true barrister should. "The object of a reply, Mr. So-and-So, is to enable counsel* to repudiate the nonsense he has talked in hia opening, whereas you go on repeating it."

Engagements for the future, a high author' ity imforms us, are to be shorter than ever, in spite of the old grey-headed dictum that a marriage made in haste is sometimes repented at leisure. It is supposed that the three or four notable instances of courtship by express which the present season has seen must be held responsible for the suggestion.