PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9082, 16 June 1888, Page 5 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ITEMS.

It looks as though Prince Alexander of Battenberg had been nonsuited for the time.

Augustus Berrell, the author of "Obiter Dicta," is engaged to marry Mrs. Lionel Tennyson. Robert Louis Stevenson calls Napoleon I. " the very model of a cad." The crisis in France remains unchanged. Mrs. Cant, who had attained the advanced acre of 100 years and seven months, has just died at Pertenhall, Bedfordshire.

Dr. De Chaumont, who succeeded the late Professor Parkes as Professor of Military Hygiene at Netley Hospital, died a few days ago. A London correspondent hears that the hair of the Empress Victoria turned quite white on the journey from San Rerao to Berlin.

Louis Kossuth, the great Hungarian patriot, has informed a friend, it is said, that he fcjls his end drawing near. He has been residing for many years in Italy. Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil, who is now in Florence, has had several long chats with Queen Victoria. They are both rereading George Eliot's novel " Romola." The will of Mr. William Garnctt, formerly of Underclirfe, near Bradford, and late of Lucan House, Ripon, has been proved, the personalty being sworn at £205,877. The marriage of the Hon. Mabnlle Brassey, daughter of Lord Brassey, to Mr. Charles Augustus Egerton, was solemnised, on April 10th, at St. Lawrence's Church, Catsfield.

Bret Harte may not be a great poet, but he seems to be the only maker of verses who can couple " harmony" and " chimney" in rhyme and draw big pay for it, says a Boston critic.

The veteran showman, P. T. Barnum, is constantly in New York city now, and attends the theatre almost every night. He invariably pays for his seat, and wiil not accept a pass. Ellen Jones, of Llaneilian, Anglesea, lias just died at the age of 100 years. She recently celebrated her 100 th birthday, and until shortly before her death enjoyed remarkably good health. At a general court of directors of the governor and company of the Bank of England, Mr. Mark Wilks Collet and Mr. William Lidderdale were respectively elected governor and deputy governor. A movement has been initiated at Maidstone for the erection of a statue of Lord Beaconsrield. It is over 50 years since Lord Beaeonstield, then Mr. Disraeli, was returned to Parliament by the borough of Maid stone.

Prince Bismarck has been much concerned about his private affairs lately, as the inundations near Varzin swept away three of his largest sawmills, in which several hundreds of workmen were regularly employed.

Count Leo Tolstoi, the Russian litterateur, has placed himself at the head of an association at Mockar pledged not to drink intoxicants, nor to sell or offer them to anyone, b'itto labour to convince others, especially children, of the dangers of intemperance.

A statue of Mr. John Bright has been unveibd in the Birmingham Art Gallery. It was commissioned by the Bright Demonstration Committee in commemoration of Mr. Bright's completion, in 1883, of 25 years' service as representative of the town in Parliament.

Here is a curious little modern instance of industry rewarded. A lady " reader" on a local newspaper at Hereford had been reading Mr. Rider Haggard's " She," and noticing two very patent grammatical blunders in it, she wrote a few lines to the author, pointing them out. A few days later Mr. Kider Haggard replied to the letter. He thanked her for all the trouble she had taken, and enclosed her a cheque for a guinea as a reward for her pains. If all authors paid their critics at this rate, how rich we should become, to be sure ! Mrs. Langtry has again rented the cottage which she occupied at Long Branch last summer. She will go there immediately after her season's tour is ended. She contemplates giving a week of midsummer theatricals along the shore, beginning at Long Branch and ending at Atlantic city. It is rumoured that Mrs. Langtry has nob made quite as much money this season as usual. A week's tour along the coast would not seriously interfere with her vacation, and would enable her to pay her cottage rent aud purchase a new bathing suit).