PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10509, 31 July 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Ms. Millau, son of the lata President of the Royal Academy, is producing another book dealing with big game. Lord Bate now owns, it is stated, two well-known ghosts. One resides at Ballechin, the other at Rothesay Castle. That mighty hunter Mr. Selous is preparing for a sporting trip to far North America, a region aa yet unknown to him. The Duke of Marlborough is taking great and increasing interest in politics, in which, it is said, his Duchess much concerns herself. One of the greatest— to some the greatest —of living authorities on armorial bearings is Viscount Dillon, lately appointed President of the Society of Antiquaries. Dr. Robion Roose, whose new book, " Waste and Repair in Modern Life," is being criticised, is one of the best-known physicians in the West End of London. He is a familiar and popular figure in press circles. Admiral Field, M.P., is very angry at being comically confused by a contemporary with Mr. Field, of Dublin, who was suspended from the service of the House for a day for disobedience to the Chair. He threatens legal proceedings. Mr. Smith, of the publishing firm Smith, Elder, and Co., is going to entertain at dinner all his contributors to the Dictionary of National Biography. This dictionary has always been a literary passion with him, and he started it without any idea of making money by it. Edison, the inventor, is trying to accustom himself to do without sleep. On the other hand, Testa, also a great inventor and electrician, iB a firm believer in sleep, and plenty of it. He says he is convinced that if a man could sleep eighteen hours a day he would lire to be '200 years old.

The Duke of Coburg, besides being a clever violin player, is an enthusiastic postage-stamp collector. All the members of the Royal Family hare certain bobbies, and very creditable ones too. Of china, bronzes, and other work* of ark there ie no better judge than the Prince of Wales; at the War Game the Duke of Connaughc is not to be beaten; while the late Duke of Albany, as a critic of Shakespeare and collector of folios and quartos, was well known.

The Comtesse de Caitellane, whose gift of a million franca to the bazaar fund in Paris is announced, is the richest of rich Americans who have married French noblemen. She was Miss Anna Gould, daughter of Jay Gould, of New York. Her marriage two years ago was a great social event. The young people met at Lakewood, a country seat of the Goulds in the United States, where the young Count not only won the affections of the lady, but also the goodwill of the Gould family, without which Miss Anna Gould would have been deprived of half her fortune.

The Prince of Wales has always been fascinated by big fires, and very often lias gone long distances to see the Metropolitan Fire Brigade at. their dangerous work. Once, after the opera, he strolled, unattended, towards (he spot where the red glow in the sky Imd indicated a great conflagration. Seeing a newspaper reporter taking notee, the .Prince asked him for details, which where, of course, readily given, especially as the identity of the questioner was known to the journalist. At the conclusion of the conversation the Prince offered the reporter a cigar, which the latter carefully wrapped in an envelope and placed in his packet. " Why don't yon smoke it?" asked the Prince. "Because I'm not likely ever to get another cigar from the Prince of Wales, so I mean to keep this one as a memento." The Prince laughed good-naturedly, and, bringing out his case again, replied: " Well, you baa better have another one, this time to smoke."