ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THE SOCIETY PAPF.r.S.]

When the King (writes an M.A. reader in.Scilly) landed on the Island of! Tresco, Scflly, a few days ago, Mr. Dorrien-Smith called his attention to the coachman who drove the carriage. The old fellow, Rawlins, had been in the 10th Hussars with Mr. Dorrien-Smith at the time that the King was in India, and had served in his escort at that time and also on another occasion in Ireland. The King said that he remembered him, and. on landing a second time in Tresco next day he took a medal from his pocket and pinned it on the old man's breast, much to his delight. While the King was afloat with Mr. Dor-rien-Smith in the latter's steam launch recently Mr. Smith was telling him about the splendid work done by the coxswain of the St. Mary's lifeboat in taking the boat on a fearful night among some of the most dangerous rocks of Scilly in the vain endeavour to save lives from the illfated Italian barque Lofaro. Just as Mr. Dorrien-Smith had finished telling this to the King the very man, Eustace Thomas, passed in his own boat and Mr. Smith pointed him out to his Royal guest. The King immediately, with grave courtesy, doffed his cap and bowed to the man whom he considered worthy of this special mark of esteem. Sir Cuthbert Quilter, M.P., it is said, discovered, while at Luxor, a, monolith with a bas-relief showing a tankard ; he also found an inscription establishing the fact that beer was orewed, and that brewers flourished, in the very earliest days of Egyptian civilisation. The flesh-pots of Egypt were probably of pewter, and if the flesh was weak the spirit, no doubt, was strong. The Sphinx is at present considered a mythological mystery, but it is extremely likely that it may turn out to be a public-house sign. Great modern painters have painted them, great ancient sculptors may have graved them. Why not? The mere fact that any people should have written in hieroglyphics points to a widespread popular inebriation. And a brewer might well rush in and solve the mystery where an antiquary would fear to tread. Dr. Carr Glyn, who was a few davs ago thrown from his horse and seriously injured whilst riding, is one of the most popular of the Anglican bishops. A relation of Lord Wolverton, and the celebrated banking family of Glyn. he first made his mark as Vicar of Kensington many years ago, in succession to Dr. Maclagan. the present Archbishop of York. Dr. Glyn is of a verv jovial disposition, and does not think good living incompatible with the strenuous fulfilment of his ecclesiastical duties. And he is a very hard worker, an early riser, and a born organiser. Tie does not. however, shine as a preacher, his delivery being hesitating, and of the staccato order. His voice, too, is rather dry and harsh. But he makes up for this by the cental ami kindly matter of his sermons, from which narrow-minded-ness of any kind is pre-eminently absent. The Bishop of Peterborough is indirectly connected by marriage with the Royal family, his wife being originally Lady Mary Campbell, and he was a great favourite with the late Queen. The King has been busy signing the mandates summoning those . who have a right to attend the Coronation, and nearly a thousand of these documents have already received the Royal sign manual. Besides the peeresses each peer will have the right of bringing either his unmarried daughter or sister to the Coronation ceremony in the abbey, and these ladies will be dressed in full Court costume, with veils and feathers, but without trains. " How- do the . peoplel mean the very poor people— my 'dinner' proposals?" Over and over again has His Majesty asked this., question of those who are mainly responsible for carrying out the Royal bounty. The answers in every case have, needless to say. given His Majesty the greatest satisfaction, and have made him, as he himself says, " the happiest of Kings." The half-million guests who are to participate in the King's Coronation dinner to the poor will have the additional pleasure of receiving a souvenir, the design as well as the gift of His Majesty. Mr. Doulton, whose firm has been entrusted with the manufacture of the cups which will be distributed on the occasion, submitted to His Majesty a sample of the proposed souvenir. No detail was too insignificant for the King's attention. Shape, size, and design were all gone carefully into, and His Majesty communicated to Mr. Doulton his wishes on these matters. The shape was approved, but the King made certain suggestions with regard to the design, which will appear on each cup. What that design will be it is not intended to divulge until His Majesty has finally passed it; but this much may be said— that it will with a suitable inscription ever remind the lucky holder of the day when he was the guest of King Edward VII., and of the occasion of the hospitality. Apropos .of Her Majesty's recent visit to Copenhagen a story, illustrating the interest she takes in her native country, and at the same time her affection for English ways, is current in the Danish capital. During Her Majesty's last stay in her old home the principal of one of our great furnishing firms waited upon her for the purpose of receiving instructions as to the changes to be earned out at Windsor and Buckingham Palace. Upon her expressing herself much gratified with the plans and designs submitted to her the gentleman in question, before making his exit, intimated that if there was anything else he could do to serve Her Majesty it would give him the greatest pleasure in life. Unhesitatingly taking him at his word, the. Queen smilingly replied: " Yes, Mr. -—. give us a. really comfortable English hotel here in Copenhagen." The reply was: " Certainly, Your Majesty." Upon his return to London the gentleman in question immediately formed a syndicate for the purchase of the old Hotel d'Angleterre, one of the largest hotels in Copenhagen, and this is now being completely rebuilt, is to be furnished in the English style, and will be ready for occupation before the end of the year. A curious incident occurred to Dr. Barnardo, of philanthropic fame, the other day. He was giving an address at a, big meeting in the South of England. At the conclusion the audience sang a hymn. The vicar of the parish, 1 who presided, was alone Upon the platform with Dr. Barnardo, and he offered to share, his hymn-book with him. But Dr.' Barnardo preferred to remain seated, not from discourtesy but from a sheer sense of humour. He himself is a little man about five feet five inches, the vicar was seven feet five inches in his socks! Mrs. E. M. Ward, the well-known artist, who has instructed so many of the members of the Royal family—notably the late Princess Alice— received a ' command from the King to paint two copies of Luke Fildes' painting of His Majesty for Coronation presentation to the colonies. Mrs. Ward is the daughter and the wife of R.A.'s, and she is looked upon in the artistic world as being the finest copyist in the United Kingdom: in fact, she is kept so busy with this work that she has but little time for her own pictures. It is little Pri-ice Edward's ambition to be a sailor, and he has confided to his father his- reason foi selecting this profession. A few days ago the Prince of Wales went into the Royal nursery, and found his bonnie son very busily engaged drawing a picture of a ship. "Well" mv little man," said the Prince, quite proud of his son's creditable performance, "I'm very pleased to see that you are fond of ships. lam a sailor, you know "Yes daddy," cried Prince ' Edward excitedly! " and I want to be a sailor, too, when I'm grown up." "Ah!" said the Prince of Wales, smiling, " and you want to be a sailor, do you? Because daddy's a sailor I suppose?*" "Not because of that i think," said the young Prince thoughtfully " because I don't like doing my lessons always, and you needn't be clever to be a sailor, need you, daddy?" »