ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9094, 30 June 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THE SOCIETY PAPERS.]

Apropos of the late Emperor of Germany, a correspondent vouches for the accuracy of the following anecdote, illustrating the simple manner in which His Majesty has brought up his children One morning the Crown Prince and his tutor were breakfasting together, but whilst the former was only served with porridge and bread-and-butter, a couple of cutlets wero placed before the latter, greatly to his surprise, and, seeing his pupil cast longing glances at the dish, he naturally helped him to one. Shortly afterwards the Emperor Frederick entered, but said nothing respecting the incident during the meal. However, a few days later, when opportunity occurred, he laid his hand upon the tutor's shoulder, and said, with one of his genial smiles, "My dear Dr.—, if I wanted m y children to have hot breakfasts, they should have them, for I dare say I could afford it. But, as yon know, I have always tried to train them plainly, and, as regards eating and drinking especially, children cannot be brought) up plainly enough."

I am sorry to hear that the pracr icc of injecting morphia beneath the skin is on the increase amongst women in society. Those who know the wretched results of morphia mania cannot protest too strongly against so perilous a habit. Like most bad habits, the longer it is indulged in the more terrible is its mastery over its victims, and like opium-smoking/its earliest effects have a fascination all their own. One victim whom I knew told me once that she felt ,-us if she were possessed by a devil, and yet) could not break off the vice. It may not bo of much use to warn possible victims on the ground of injury to health of mind and body, but perhaps if it is generally known that it ends in a wretched pallor and a sure destruction of good loos:s, the mor-phia-mania may be checked.

President Cleveland recently received two chiefs of the Chippewa Indians to discuss matters affecting their tribe. Fleet Wolf and Hound-th it-Bays are clean, cleareyed Indians who talk good English. They were .perfectly at ease in the presence of the President. Fleet Wolf offered Mr. Cleveland a chew of tobacco, which was declined in a, dignified way. As they stood up to depart) Hound-that-Bays asked : Won't you give us a drink ?" Mr, Cleveland was astonished, but with great presence of mind opened a. cabinet, and taking out a decanter and threo classes, drank with his guests to the toast; of " Here s how," uttered by the two chiefs.

Unemployed Congregational ministers who are anxious to secure chapels without delay may do well note what recently transpired at the Independent Chapel at Llanwddyn. The pastor of the chapel was indisposed the other day, and the deacons were about to seek a "supply" to take liia place when a communication "from their pastor wife caused them to stay their effortsThe nature of the communication may bo gathered from the following announcement, which appeared in the local paper the following week :—" Mrs. Morgan, the wife of tho Rev. J. Morgan, has occupied the pulpit of Llanwddyn Congregational Chapel in her husband's absence through illness. Dissenting ministers with preaching wives will after this probably have the best chance of receiving calls to vacant chapels.

At the entrance of the National Museum in Washington is a large stone sarcophagus, which was brought to America some years ago from Egypt, and presented to" the Smithsonian Institution. The other day one of the excursionsists from Northern New York, entering the building, stopped to look at it. Turning to the man who checks umbrellas and canes, she said : " What is that great stone affair?' " That's a sarcophagus, am," he answered. " Where did it come from?" "From Egypt, ma'am.* " What do they use it for ?' "To spit in, mostly, ma am, ' replied the public servant.

Sir Edwarcl Wat.kin, instead of pending out "In Memorian" cards when his wife died a few weeks since, posted to all his friends and sympathising acquaintances a short memoir of the late Lady Wat kin's life, with details of her (fatal illness, written with a straightforward simplicity which was ir. itself touching to tho-r who read the details. This innovation on ail old' and too often meaningless distribution of "mourning cards" is likely, I think, to find not a few imitators.

America is a land of charming surprises. Its social usages are delightfully varied, and there will be little cause for astonishment if the United States should some day be as omnipotent in matters of etiquette as Parisian miliners used formerly to he in the matter of chiffon At Atlanta, in Georgia, they have already made a beginning in this direction. The other day at "one of the most agreeable and unique dinners ever given" there was a most praiseworthy endeavour made, by the hostess to mitigate the melancholy which often preys upon the diner-out who has unsympathetic neighbours. After each course the hostess gave a signal, and every gentleman at once rose and moved to the side of the la<jy whom his next neighbour had been entertain in" - . Matters were so well arranged that at the close of dinner each gentleman had visited for tho duration of a course every lady atJ the table and had at last, returned to'the partner whom lie had Taken down. The ladies are reported to have been delighted with the arrangement: though possibly the elderly and more inactive among the gentlemen may have found so much locomotion bad. for the-digestion.

Four French soldiers who were taken prisoners in the war, and who wefe subsequently sentenced to a long term of confinement in a fortress for assaulting the Prussian soldiers in charge of them, were included in the amnesty signed by th% Emperor Frederick, and have returned to then- own country. They were allowed no communication with (he outer world during their long detention, and their families, unaware of the circumstances in whieh they were placed, naturally concluded that they were dead. A pleasant surprise was in store for one of the party. He*found the child with whom his wife was about to present, him when he was summoned from home, and whose fache never saw, a strapping lad of eighteen, and just oil the eve of being married himself. Bit one of his comrades has to faco the peculiarly unpleasant domestic complication which the Laureate has treated in his poem of " Enoch Arden." His wife remarried some years ago, and is the mother of a large family by her second husband.

The law against the use of profane language is terribly severe in Germany, as may be inferred from a case lately before the Imperial Court at Leipsic on appeal. A farmer was heard by two of his servants to swear at an ox, and was accused before the local tribunal, which inflicted a sentence of three months' imprisonment.* This has now been confirmed by the Imperial Court, on the ground that the blasphemous language was actually heard by two servants and might have been heard by anybody else who happened to be passing.

Admirers of the sometime discarded silk gown, which, en jxissant, is again (joming into fashion, will bo much interested and gratified by M. de Chardonnet's recent; discovery of a method of turning cotton into silk. By means of a chemical process, M. de Chardonnefc produces an artificial fibre exactly resembling the finest silk in appearance, and having the same softness to the touch. It is grey or black in colour, but can presumably be dyed, or bleached and then dyed to any desired shade. The new material, necessarily much cheaper than the genuine article, possesses two very great advantages, the first of which is that it is uninjured by contact with all ordinary fluids, and. the second— most valuable onethat, although the process involves the use of a compound of collodion and acids of a highly inflammable character, the material will not flame if ignited. This quality should make it invaluable for theatrical dresses, and indeed for a variety of purposes where there is a danger of one's wearing apparel coming in contact) with fire.