WHO'S WHO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15307, 21 May 1913, Page 10

WHO'S WHO.

Lord Charles Fitzmaurice tells an amusing story. Ho once arrived at a hill station in India, and to his surprise noticed a •guard of honour stationed on the platform. i?e was much amazed when he found that this had been done for his reception, and the puzzle continued until he was shown a telegram which announced that Lord Charles Beresford. was on board the train instead of, as it ought to have been, Lord Charles Fitzmaurice. -, Sir Charles Cust, generally understood to bo the new Assistant Private Secretary to the King when Viscount Knollys retires, was shipmate with His Majesty during his early naval training. The friendship begun on sea has been continued on shore, and Sir Charles Cust has long enjoyed the King's confidence, being regarded as an ' especially privileged member of the Royal circle. Unmarried, Sir Charles Cust is in his forty-ninth year. Ho is the soni of Sir Leopold Cust and Charlotte, daughter of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Charles Bridgeman.. Mr. Bryce, who recently retired from the post cf British .Ambassador to the United States in order to give more time to his literary pursuits, tells a story show- ; trig that the average American has at all tunes a pretty good conceit of himself, a trait that is also very apparent among the rising generation of young Americans: A schoolboy was asked, " Who was the first man?" " George Washington," he replied. " Nonsense,' said the teacher. "What makes you say that"?" Because," replied the boy, repeating a well-known quotation, he was ' First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.'" "That may be," commented the teacher, "but nevertheless Adam was the first man." "Oh," retorted the boy with fine contempt, "if you're talking about foreigners—"

President Fallieres, who for seven years has represented with dignity the French Republic, began to feel the pangs of dwindling authority shortly before retiring from the French Presidency, and complained to some indiscreet friends of the ingratitude of others. President Fallieres was fond of entertaining a few old friends to dinner at the Elysee. Over the afterdinner pipe, which Monsieur Fallieres loves, he spoke of the Elysee as "a school of ingratitude." "You would bo astonished," he said, " at the dwindling of my visiting list' during the last week or two. I do not exactly complain of it, for I am glad to finish in comparative peace ,my last weeks of office. But I am beginning to feel very keenly that I a m the 'setting sun. I belong to the past already. I can do no more favours to anyone, and everybody is making me feel it. You see I have only ene more list of Legion of Honour decorations to sign, and then my work is done. It is known that this list is already drawn up, and nobody calls to see me any more because nobody needs me. I understand, though," said Monsieur Fallieres, smiling, " that■'.' the others' are getting a exeat many visits."