ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8300, 5 July 1890, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM Tin: SOCIETY I'AI'EKS. ] Tiik German Kaiser is another modern instance of the ancient paw that the man who has an eye for the greatest things has also an eye for the least. His love for details has been illustrated by his reply to the town of Wald, near Solingen. The common council of Wald had requested to be allowed to have its own municipal seal an l armorial hearings. The request was nor only conceded, but the Kaiser himself fieri, to the local council a. sketch of tkcv for which he wished them to adopt, emphatically demanding that the shield should be of the good old German shape, which he had drawn with care, so as to prevent their heraldic artist from making any mistake.

Miss Winifred Jefferson Davis, " the child of the Confederacy," is-about to marry Mr. Alfred Wilkinson, of New York, whose grandfather, the Reverend Samuel Joseph -May, of Boston, Massachusetts, was one ol the earliest and most uncompromising abolitionists to whom New England ever gave birth. " Time works wonders," and it is refreshing to think that a young lady who first saw the light at Richmond, in Virginia, when the thunders of artillery hurled by its besiegers were audible in the house occupied by her father, is about to bestow her hand and heart oil the son of a Northerner and the grandson of an abolitionist.

Sir Charles Dilke has addressed a letter to the editor of the Republiquo I'raneaise with reference to the recent Frcnch criticism on his "Problems of Greater Britain." He insists that he has only criticised France in some matters of detail, just as he has done with other countries, including his own. Sir Charles also points out that lie has already given proof of his friendship for France in a former volume, wherein he condemned the annexation of Alsace by Germany, and showed that all proposals of disarmament would be piejudicial to the French nation. Further, the ex-statesman reminds Frenchmen that he only followed in the footsteps of their brilliant fellow-countryman, Paradol, in his scientific theory sis to the ultimate preponderance of the English-speak-ing, the Russian, and the Chinese races.

The German Emperor and Empress and the whole Court were present at a representation of tableaux vivanU given by members . of Court society in Berlin 011 April 19.e According to a Berlin correspondent, the tableaux were preceded by a prologue spoken by Herr von Huelscn, son of the former general manager of Court Theatres. Among* the tableaux was one representing Carl Becker's picture, "The Presenting of a Petition to the Doge of Venice." The Austrian Ambassador, Count) Szochenyi, with an ermine robe thrown round his tall, majestic figure, represented the Doge, and the charming Princess Radziwill, in a splendid Venetian costume, was bis consort, the little son of Count Szechenyi acting as page. Another tableau represented Mary Queen of Scots and Ri/./.io. The Queen is seen in a pale blue velvet robe, with wide slashed sleeves, high collar, and blue velvet cap, with her foot-on the last of a flight of steps, against the parapet of which Rizzio lies sleeping. Long coal-black curls fall around his pale face ; the lute has slipped from his hands, and lies beside him. The Queen is attended by three ladies-in-waiting and a cavalier. This tableau was accompanied by the orchestra playing a love-song from Taubert's music to " The Tempest. ! Another scene represented Othello and Desdemona at the moment when the former says, " .She lov'd me for the dangers I had passed, and 1 lov'd her that she did pity them." In an open portico in the Venetian style Othello is seen standing before Brabantio (Prince Salm), and Desdemona (Baroness Boecklin) lien at the feet of her father. Other tableaux were given, each more beautiful than the rest. The Emperor and Empress remained till the end. ; ' ■ An English paper gives the following as "a good story from New Zealand":—! hear a good story from Now Zealand. There are, as here, school boards in that distant country, and there are men ambitious of office, but disinclined to put themselves out of the way and work. Such a man is a stalwart butcher, chairman of a school board in the colony ; and he roused the wrath of his more energetic colleagues by failing twice to put in an appearance when specially important business had to be arranged. A third time lie failed to appear, and some of the board became very angry, for it was known that he was amusing himself elsewhere, and the consequence was that a vote of censure was moved on him for his repeated absences, seconded, and duly entered in the minutes. At the next meeting the butcher was present, and he read the minutes of the last (lay's labours. "Who moved this?" lie sternly inquired, coming to the passage concerning himself. " L did," the enthusiast who had done so cxclaimed, rising to his feet; "and 1 must pay—" But he was not allowed to say it. One blow of the butcher's fist knocked him backwards over his chair, and not turning to gaze at the fallen foe, the chairman continued, "Who seconded this?' Dead silence prevailed. One gentleman found t hat it was necessary to blow bis nose, others discovered objects of peculiar interest en the floors, the walls, and the uppermost corners of the room. " Who seconded this V" the chairman repeated, but by a curious lapse of memory the gentleman who had done so quite forgot, and 110 one else felt inclined to address the meeting. "As it was not seconded, it is irregular, and must be removed from the minutes," the chairman continued, scratching it out, and the business of the day pleasantly proceeded.

The dancing season of 1800 lias set in with unexampled severity, unci ho air is rife wit b/lls—-past, present., and to come. The moan .'or a free night i* usually raised In' fashionable host esses towards Ascot work, but though the primrose and the dallbdil are still with us, the familiar cry is heard on all sides. Bails this season have already been distinguished by the large proportion of men keen for the mazy dtuxti in/js, and the days when the " 10th didn't dance" have evidently and fortunately passed away. Whether these amiable inclination': will survive the test of summer yet remain? to be proved.