INTERESTING ITEMS FROM THE WORLD'S PRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12457, 30 December 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

INTERESTING ITEMS FROM THE WORLD'S PRESS.

THE BODYGUARD -INVISIBLE. From the outbreak of the South African war Mr. "Chamberlain lias been followed day and night in his walks abroad by a skilful and powerful emissary of Scotland Yard. A man of Mr. Chamberlain's spirit does not '.ike it., but there are other minds than his whose peace he lias to consider. Mr. Gladstone hated the idea of a bodyguard, and had to be tracked in secret. The accident is not infrequently a better safeguard than the sleuth-hound. Mr. Gladstone, by popping across the Horse Guards and into his house by the garden entrance escaped unwittingly the man who was awaiting him with a loaded revolver in the main street. Mr. Forster preserved his life by departing, quite bechance, from Dublin by a route contrary to that chosen. Our leaders know i l.e dangers they run when excitement is high. Disraeli, brave as a lion, expected to be assassinated. Letters he received bade him anticipate such an end. A labouring man hobbled up to him as he walked through Wycombe with. Lord Ronald Gowar. 'I thought he was going to stab me," said the Premier, without, a tremor in his voice as the ■mail passed out. Napoleon might naturally have been expected to carry with 'him throughout the twenty-four hours his famous " two-in-the-morning" courage, lie did so. The late Lord Tennyson knew the niece of a man who raised his musket to fire at the Emperor as ho passed along the corridor of his palace. Napoleon " just turned and fixed his great eagle eye upon him in such a terrible fashion that the youth, paralysed with fear, trembled from head to foot, almost swooned away, and let his rifle drop with a clang upon the ground." No notice was taken of this'incident.

Tlio man of iron, Bismarck, was as little moved by an attempt to take his life. He wrote a brief account of it to the Emperor, greeted his guests as if nothing had Happened, then whispered to his wife, " I have been shot at, my child, but there s no harm done. Let's go to dinner." Mr. Gladstone Used to say that a man who was once about to fire at him dared not do so, because of his (Mr. Ulaclstonc's) resemblance to the demented one's father. But Lord Aberdeen remembers an occasion when, willy-nilly, the veteran had to cast aside faith in such adventitious aids. • On the night of O'Donnell's execution for murder the Gladstone home Was surrounded by police, and Lord Aberdeen himself drove the Premier's carnage with the rate Mr. W. H. Gladstone for footman.St. James' Gazette. . HORSEDEALERS' TRICKS. The horsedealer is a man of infinite resource, and whether it is in the turning of an aged worn-out animal into a sprightly five-year-old, or in the concealment of unsoundness, he possesses a skill which, directed to other ends, would probably bring him a better as well as a more reputable livelihood. Amusing examplesamusing, that is, to all bub the victims—are to be noticed at most fairs, and -one that is generally in operation consists in disposing of a goodlooking horse suffering from some incurable disease, such as a "jinked" back or "shivering"nervous affections which prevent an animal from backing or turning round freely. The skilful dealer, well accustomed to methods of showing off a horse, and perfectly aware of what he can safely try to do and what he must, refrain from doing, has little difficulty iu concealing the disease from the comparative novice proud ul nis little knowledge of horseflesh, and, the sale having been" concluded and the money handed over, the purchaser, on taking away his new acquisition, is approached by a confederate' of the seller, who points out that- the animal is useless for work in the shafts. Very" little demonstration is needed to convince the purchaser that lie has been done, and his. new friend, apparently sympathising with him, kindly offers +0 buy the animal (of course at a substantial reduction), as he " can make him useful in some way or other." The novice is generally glad to be rid of his bad bargain; but if he can afford to pay for revenge the best tiling he can do is to refuse to sell, for the loss of the horse would be a great blow to the swindlers, to whom, indeed, he is a little goldmine, the farce being carried on at every fair. A really presentable animal likely to catch the eye of a possible purchaser, and at the same time suffering from a disease such as this that can bo easily concealed for a time and yet quickly demonstrated to exist when demonstration is necessary, is not readily obtained, aud we nave heard it saidalthough as to this we offer'no opinion—that cases have actually been known where the purchaser has obtained even a profit on the transaction, jo loth have the former owners been to he deprived permanently of the animal.-—Coun-try Life. THE MAYORAL KISS. In CasseU's Magazine for November Mr. Harold Macfarlane gives an account of "Corporation Curiosities." The corporations of the United Kingdom still possess customs that are curious, and insignia that justify an interest not merely confined to he historic. Of these customs, two connected with Mayoral jurisdiction over the deep waters are of special interest. At-Newcastie-oii-Tyne at periodic intervals the Mayor and Corporation assert their rights over the foreshores of their native river by proceeding in state (and barges belonging to the Tyne Commissioners) to various points, where they proclaim their authority. Perhaps as an inducement- for the Mayor to undertake this particular duty, in days of yore —and' mayhap it still obtains, for a custom so pleasing is hardly likely to have been allowed to have fallen into disuetude— Worship (one of whose predecessors had the right conferred upon him by Richard 11. of having a sword of State carried before him) on landing on the green was permitted to administer a chaste salute upon the prettiest girl present, and the privilege of conferring upon her a sovereign as compensation. At Bournemouth, ttl-.su- the kiss mayoral is also conferred, it is an ancient and loving custom for the retiring Mayor to give his successor ail oscillatory salute. Itis believed that some occupants of the chair would have been perfectly willing to relinquish this ancient right for something more modern if the same was fashioned on the lines of the Newcastle salute. RUSSIAN COURTESY. Russian ports are not as hospitable as they might- be, although Russian naval officers are most puuctillious iu paying visits to foreign ports —to see how the laud lies. A few weeks ago. says the Daily Despatch, the Russian Admiral at Port Arthur paid a surprise visit to Sir Cyprian Bridge, in command of om China squadron, at Wei-hai-Wei, and there was a pretty exchange of international amenities. Sir Cyprian Bridge lei a few weeks go by, and when Fai Ear,tern matters threatened to pass from the simmering stage to boiling point he telegraphed to the Russian Admiral saying that he proposed to do himself the honour of returning his courteous visit. The Russian Admiral in an excess of courtesy telegraphed back that he could not think of putting Sir Cyprian to such inconvenience. Sir Cyprian replied : " Not at all —only too pleased." Then the Russian Admiral telegraphed again. He was " extremement- desole." but, as a matter of fact, there would be hardly room ;:or H.M.s. Glory in the harbour at Port Arthur. Sir Cyprian continued the telegraphic correspondence by saying that he did not propose to come in his flagship, but in a picket boat. Then the Russian Admiral was extremely sorry to say he was about- to go away for a few days. And Sir Cyprian Bridge closed the correspondence by saying: "Am content to take my chance of seeing you." Sir Cyprian found the Russian Admiral o'a board his flagship. and found Port Arthur crammed with Russian ships of war.