PEOPLE WE READ ABOUT

New Zealand Mail, 22 January 1902, Page 17

PEOPLE WE READ ABOUT

No excuse is needed for referring in these columns (says “Black and Wince” of Dch November) to a sad event winch has occurred with pathetic suddenness since “Black and vvmte” last appeared. Mr Campbell Praed, whose name nas been familiar to all connected with the paper since its first number, passed away at a late hour on Monday nignc. For ten years Mr I’raed was closely and actively identified with tiie fortunes of “Black and ’Wiiite,” and the habit ot speaking of him as “the father of thy board” had its inspiration in the sincercst feeling of affection for him among his colleagues on the directorate and the staff in which he never ceased to be interested. To the last Mr Praed was actively concerned in discharging the trust reposed in him, and his last energies were spent in tiie cause, of the paper he had seen rise from its” infancy. An hour or two before the end came he attended a meeting of die board, and he may be said to have walked from the office to the grave. His was a generous nature, genial, considerate and kind; and it is no mere form of words to say that none of tho many spheres in which he moved will be quite the same without him. His widow, the well-known novelist, iias received sympathetic tokens of sorrow from a wide circle of friends, and the funeral on Thursday was eloquent of the esteem in which Mr Praed was held.

Many anecdotes have been told of Premier Salisbury, and some of them are printed in the current “People’s Friend.” A certain Bishop, with rather a reputation for verbosity, had risen to his feet to address the House on some important question. “I will divide my speech under twelve heads,” he said pleasantly, and his listeners shivered and thought of the door. Tiie noble Marquis bogged to be allowed to interpose with a little anecdote. ,“A friend of mine was returning home late one night,” he said, “when opposite St. Paul’s he saw an intoxicated man trying to ascertain the time on the big clock there. Just then it began to strike, and slowly tolled out twelve. The drunken man listened, looked hard at the clock, and said, ‘Confound you, why couldn’t you have said that all at once?’” Tho Chamber, needless to say, resounded with laughter, in which the Bishop heartily joined, and what is more, he took the hint.

The history of the Great Central Railway is, in many respects, the history of Sir William Pollitt, who retires from the general managership of that great system. He entered the service of the company, which, in those days, cf course, was known as the Manchester,

Sheffield, and Lincolnshire 1...., Company, as a lad of iiiffoe.i. years later lie was appointed c.-m./ ..e----countant, in 1885 became assistant - ~t . eral manager, and in January el ...j following year he succeeded d;e ni.j Mr Underdown as general manager of the company. Only a man a tional capacity, says the “King” cruel successfully organise such a vast industry as a modern railway. The Great Central is to-day running as smoui.ni/ and systematically as the older English railways, and most of the credit for it must be given to Sir William. He was knighted in 1899, is Colonel of the Engineer and Railway Volunteer slaff Corps, and a Justice of tiie Peace.

Mr BeerboJnn Tree has a special* liking for dogs. Some years ago, when the famous actor was playing in “Captain Swift,” he possessed a Itaiidsmne collie of the name of Argus. Argus was fond of the profession, but disliked sensational scenes. During the run of “Captain Swift,” Argus used to take nis place in the wing and follow his master’s every word and gesture until tho suicidal situation was reached. The moment Mr Tree felt for his pistol Argus would rush into the darkest corner he could find, and burying his Head between his paws, listen for the thud of the actor’s fall. After that, Argus would crawl back to meet his master with a howl of joy at Mr Tree’s return to life. * * * it *

It is good news to hear that Lady Alma-Tadema has recovered from her long and serious illness to such an extent that she hopes to send a picture to next year’s Academy. Last year, it may be remembered, she received a silver medal from the Paris Exhibition, and four years previously was awarded a gold medal at Berlin. Although Lady Alma-Tadema became her husband’s pupil at the time of her engagement, when she was no more than eighteen years old, she neither accepts nor invites suggestion when thinking out a subject or planning a composition. After everything is ready for Hie model, however—that is to say, wlien the whole of her figures are sketched in, and everything is irrevocably determined—her husband is suffered to inspect the work and find what fault he may; but never a finger nqr a brush may he lay upon the canvas. If he wishes to illustrate his criticism he does so in a sketch-book, but contrary to what an ungracious and cynical world might think, there is not a touch in any one of Mrs Tadema’s hundred or so pictures that is fathered by another brush than hers.

Miss Isabelle Hagner, a beautiful young society girl of Washington, has been made the social superintendent of the Roosevelt Administration. As secretary to Mrs Roosevelt, upon the unique duties of which position she has just entered, she will ne m charge of all the social affairs of the Executive Mansion. Besides attending to the private correspondence of the mistress of White House, - she will manage official functions and be charged with the task of smoothing out those ruffles that result from petty jealousies and animosities among the women of the Administration. All the guest lists will be under her supervision. Unofficially Miss Hagner will liave charge of tne debut of Miss Roosevelt, and all informal entertainments given by that fair young debutante will be managed by the social secretary. Adversities deprived her of a fortune which came as a birthright, and forced her to make her own way in tho world. She is said to have made a deep study of social and official forms and conventions, and to be well equipped for the performance of the duties which have just been assigned to her.

Li Hung Chang, tho aged Viceroy of China, was generally admitted to be the richest man in the world. He possessed an enormous fortune in furs alone, and had immense warehouses in Pekin, crammed from top to bottom with rare and precious specimens. They were annual tributes from one of the Northern Provinces of China. The Viceroy maintained a private army of 40,000 pigtailed warriors. It was necessary, for no man has more frequently run the risk of losing his head than the wily Viceroy. On one occasion when he was to be executed he arrived with an army of 10,000 men, which so upset the calculations of those in authority that they presented him with a yellow jacket instead. “How do our women compare with those of China P” the Kaiser asked Li on his visit to Germany. “I really cannot tell/” was the quiet response, as he glanced at tho ladies present; “wo never see half as much of our women as you do of yours.”