PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11878, 1 February 1902, Page 4 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ITEMS.

Pranci9 Joseph of Austria, now 71 years old, has been on the throne 52 years, and so holds the record for length of reign. King Christian of Denmark is 82, but has only been on the throne 37 years. Sir William Turner, president of the General Medical Council, is in his seventieth year, but as keen intellectually as at the outset of his career. He is stout, largely built, with a fine head, merry, twinkling eyes, and hair and beard of snowy whiteness ; one of the last persons who would be connected with dissecting rooms. It will always remain to Mr. Cecil Rhodes' credit that he was one of the few of whom the late General Gordon made an intimate and trusted friend. Chinese Gordon first met the African millionaire in Basutoland, and it is not generally known that he was earnestly asked to become the general's private secretary and alter ego, a position which Mr. Rhodes, after much hesitation, declined. The smallest Freemason in the world is Casper H. Weiss, of No. 4516, Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia. He is twenty-four years old, but* the smallest man of your acquaintance would most likely loom up as a I giant if placed beside him, for- Mr. Weiss j stands only 3ft llin high in his shoes. He ; is well formed, too, and remarkably intelligent, in spite of the fact that he looks like a boy of eleven years. When he entered the lodge-room, some ot the members who had not been posted interrupted the proceedings with cries of " Put that boy out! What is j he doing here?" Mr. Weiss is also the smallest Oddfellow in the world. The Board of Admiraity has made formal announcement of Sir William White's retirement as Chief Constructor of the navy, and of the appointment of Mr. Watts as his successor. Mr. Watcs was trained -in the naval service, and reached the rank of Chief Constructor 16 years ago. He succeeded Sir W. White as head of the shipbuilding department of Sir William Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co. Mr. Watts is about fiftytwo years of age, and has probably had more experience in the designing of warship? than any other naval architect. He has been responsible for the designing of many warships for foreign Governments, notably those of China and Japan. Colonel Watts is a keen volunteer, and commands the Ist Northumberland Volunteer Artillery, from which the Elswick Battery was sent out to South Africa. Dan Leno, who has the distinction .of being the first music-hall artist ever summoned to perform before an English Sovereign, has not always been known to the public by the name of Dan; in fact, according to his own story, ho has no real right to the name at all. Prior to 1880 he was always billed as George Lenohis own nameand how he became possessed of the more familiar " Dim" happened in this way. In 1880 be entered for the championship belt for clog-dancing—and won. Owing to a mistake on the part of the man who made the entries, however, he was booked as " Dan," and "Dan" appeared on the belt which was subsequently presented to him. The name struck the comedian as being an appropriate one, and when he came to London a few months later he adopted it permanently.

Mrs. Kendal, when off the stage, almost invariably dresses in black. A strong, healthy-looking woman, untouched by art, and gently dealt with by years, she wears her auburn hair neatly parted in front and braided at the back. Fashion in this line does not disturb her; sho has always worn it the same, and even upon the stage has rarely donned a wig. She tells a funny little story of the .way a dear friend leasee! and bullied her to be more fashionable about her head. Everyone was wearing fringes, and the lady begged her not to be so " del,", but to give in to such a becoming mode. Just to try the effect Mrs. Kendal went elf to a grand shop, told the man to do her hair up in the latest style, paid a guinea for the performance, and went home. Her family and servants were amazed ; but when she arrived at her friend's h • -<y that evening her hostess failed to recog-' her! So the fashionable head-dress was.. >er repeated...