NEWSY NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3436, 18 May 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEWSY NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE.

TIT-BITS OF INTERESTING AND USEFUL INFORMATION.

Politics and love letters make a strange combination. At the Liverpool Assizes recently an action for breach of promise of marriage was brought by Miss Annio Slack, bookkeeper for a Liverpool poulterer and fishmonger, against T. J. Sparling, a butcher in St John’s Market, in the same city. The plaintiff is 29 and the defendant 37 years old. Plaintiffs Counsel slated that the defendant had “kept company" with the plaintiff, taken her trips, and had written her letters addressed " My dearest sweatheart," some of which were certainly novelties in the “ literature of love." They dealt largely with politics. Thus, in September, 1894, the defendant having heard a speech by Mr Chamberlain, wrote a notable Utter. After sending all good wishes to his “ dearest sweetheart," he went on to say he heard Mr Chamberlain, and was “ very much impressed with him." (Laughter.) Whether this showed the defendant's good sense or not, counsel added, he did not know; it all depended. (Laughter.) The defendant went on to describe Mr Chamberlain as “ a deliberate and incisive speaker, who stepped on to the platform as if he had walked out of his frame," (Laughter.) “ His sonorous voice was adapted to the building, and in a dramatic, telling manner he emphasised his several points. His earnestness, humour, sarcasm, and ironic praise of bis opponents was unequalled in my . personal experience." (Renewed laughter.) “ His coolness was remarkable, and vooiforious applause he (received unmoved. His single eyeglass fee wore with refreshing assurance." ((Laughtor.( “ His orchid graced his buttonhole." (Laughter.) “On the Home Buie question it is difficult to say anything that has not been said before, but he accomplished it." (Laughter.) The defendant concluded by describing Mr Chamberlain’s idea of the general election resulting in the extinction of the bogey of Home Rule. This letter coneluded, I* Yours, by a largo majority, Tom." Evidence for tho plaintiff was given corroborating counsel’s opening. Tho defendant denied any promise to marry, Ha said his receipts were £2 a week.—The jury found for plaintiff, with £6O damages.

The will of an Englishman, the late Mr Frederick William Amsden, of Sydenham, is remarkable for one somewhat eccentric provision. The personal estate is valued at over £84,000. Each of the testator’s daughter benefits to the extent of £13,000. There is a special clause providing that if Miss Harriett Louise Amsdon, the youngest daughter, should marry a certain gentleman who is named in the clause, she will cease to derive any benefit under ihe provisions of the trust. The singular part of the matter is that there has never been any question of marriage between the persons named. The opinion of the family is that the clause was the result of a sick man’s fancies.

Here is a humourous story of Aspinall, "the eccentric but brilliant • Melbourne barrister. Once, when Aspinall was briefed for a defence, through some blunder he got hold of plaintiff’s brief, a few months before the case began. He made a hurried investigation of its conents. Plaintiff’s man was late in court. 'When he arrived, Aspinall was in the thrill of his explanation of plaintiff’s claim. ’Apprised of the mistake, he went bn the end, and then said, “ Your Honor, I fin'd'that, through soma extraordinary blunder, I have got hold' of the wrong brief. My friend Mr Dawson, appears for'plain tiff. But I don’t.think that any. thing I have said has in any way prejudiced the interests of his client, since I have merely set forth the history of a claim which I think the gentlemen of the jury will presently discover hasn’t a leg to stand upon. 'Where's my brief ?" and he sat down to get some notion of the defence.

A story related at the expense of an Australian tourist was heard by Sir M. E. Grant Duff (“Notes from a Diary") from J. B. Green, author of A short history of England,” &o. “Mr Green mentioned to me that he had met an Australian one day in Rome, who, pointing to the Castle of St Angele, said, ‘ I know that that building is called after Michael Angelo, but would you be so very kind as to tell me how Michael Angelo came to be made a saint ? "

The power of Bright's speeches has been universally aoknowleged, but one is apt to forget (says the Academy) that as an epigrammatist and phrase-maker he all but rivalled Disraeli. Many sayings have become so familiar that men have forgotted their source. “ Foreign policy is simply a gigantic system of outdoor relief for the aristocracy of Great Britain." “ Dissenters are expected to manifest all the qualities spoken of in the Epistle to the Corinthians— ‘ to hope all things, to believe all things.'" “ Disraeli's notes on the Bank of Elegance," and the description of Disraeli as the “ mystery-man of politics" and “ a Voltaire who wrote history far better without facts than with them," are a few,examples. He invented the phrases—" Cave of Adullum," “ Tory democrat," “ fancy franchises." Disraeli’s comment on the last is equally effective. “ Alliteration," he says, “is a popular form of language among savages. It is, ' I .‘believe, the characteristic of rude and barbarous poetry; but it is not an argument in legislation."

An American/ anecdote told apropos of Canon Kingsley’s refusal to pray for rain is chronicled in Professor Max Muller’s “Auld Lang Syne," There was great commotion in ecclesiastical dovecotes, most of all in episcopal palaces. All sorts of punishments were threatened, but Kingsley remained throughout perfectly quiet, yet most determined. He would not degrade his sacred office to that of a rain-maker or medicine-man, and he carried bis point. “In America we manage these things better 1" said an American friend of Kingsley. “A clergyman in a village on the frontier between two of our states prayed for rain. The rain came, and it soaked the ground to such on extent that the young lambs in the neighbouring state caught cold and died. An action was brought against the clergyman for the mischief he had done, and he and bis parishioners were condemned to pay damages to the sheep farmers. They never prayed for rain again after that."

For nearly a century (says the London correspondent of the Australasia) George Barrington, the famous pickpocket, has been credited with the authorship of the lines “ True patriots we, for, bo it understood, Wo loft our country for our country’s good.” which occur in the prologue, supposed to have been specially written for a performance of Young’s “ Revenge," given in Sydney in 1796 by a company of convicts. The originality of the epigram has been questioned. It has been pointed out that almost the identical phrase was used by a panegyrist of Drake, who described him, about 1596, as “ Leaving his country for his country’s sake," and a highwayman in Farquhar’s “ Beaux Stratagem," referring to his service on the “plantations," remarks “ ’Twas lor the good of my country that I should be aboard. Anything for the good of one’s country; I’m a Koman for that.” Mr Petheriok dis- ' cutes Barrington authorship of the famous . prologue, and cites curious evidence in support of bis contention. He hazards J the suggestion that the jeu d’esprit has been the work of Francis Waldron, a relation of Barrington’s, who was living

in London, and had some connection with both literature and the drama.

Writing in the Chap Beut: about hia experiences with successful lecturers, Major Pond (the E-. S. Smythe of the United States) says :—“ Mark Twain and George W. Cable raked in a great haul in 1886-84 and thousands of dollars. Kate Douglas Wiggin made over 70,000 dol for kindergarten associations in aboiit fcix years, reading her charming stories. John Kendrick Bangs and ‘ Chimmie Fadden ’ are now reaping double prices for their ‘otufi’,’ first from the publisher, and then from reading it ‘ out loud ’ to audiences who pay 50 cents, 70 cents, and one dollar. The above are a few of the American ‘readers from their own works ’ that the public will pay to hear, because Americans are always glad to pay a 100 cents where they can get a dollar's worth, and not generally otherwise. There are authors, whose names are legion, who think they can read and draw audiences, not only in all parts of America, but Europe,'who are constantly writing that they know they can make me rich if I would only take them. As if I didn’t care for riches, but preferred to stand as an impediment to their success,"

A good word is said for the donkey in ‘ Wild Traits in Tame Animals," by Dr Louis Robinson (Blackwood and Sons) ! “He is proverbially patient, but his patience has that in it which suggests the dependency of a slave. Yet obstinate and inert as he occasionally is, he cannot, even in his environment of bondage, he considered a fool. If he seems of dull intellect, it is chiefly because we have removed him so far out of his natural sphere. The duck and goose show a like change of character when they come under the influence of man. In the wild state, as every sportsman knows, they are among the most vigilant and cunning creatures in the world. A wild goose is proverbially wild, while a tamo goose is proverbially ‘ a goose.’ Tho fact is that their natural talents have no scope at all when they are removed from the environment in which these talents were first developed.

In describing some of the tyrannies new boys are subjected to by old boys at public schools, a writer in the Public School Magazine tells this good story:—“ At the beginning of term we used to borrow a master’s cap and gown, and get all the new boys into an empty class-room and give them a general knowledge paper. These are some specimen questions : “ 1. Define a square farthing. “ 2. Describe accurately the compass that Paul fetched. “ 8. What period in history is known as the Roaring Forties ? “4. If one crab upsets a man’s stomach, how many will upset a boat ? “5. What do you know of Alice Loper, Ally Lulia, Harry Oobeans, and Lucy d’lntervals ? Distinguish between Ida No and Ida Down. “ 6. State clearly why (а) I don’t want to play in your yard. (б) Daddy won’t buy me a bowwow. (c) We shan’t be long. (cl) I was seated one day at the organ. (e) I want you, my honey.

“ The wretched boys would sit and wrestle with the problems for a tremendous time; the borrowed cap and gown was shffioient proof to them that their exam, wasn’t a hoax."

The story is recalled of Mr Justice Hawkins and the oranges. The judge had to test whether a boy witness understood the nature of an oath. In the course of bis questions he said to the boy, “ If I were to say that you had an orange in your mouth, would that be the truth ? " “No ; it would be a lie." “And if I said, you had one in your hand ? " “ That would be another lie." “ And if I promised you a bag of oranges and then didn’t give them to you, what would , that ,be ? " “ That would be a lie." “ And if I did give them to you ? " “ That would be the truth." “ Very well; I will." And he did.

An Inadequate Salary.—“ And about the salary ? " said the actor. “ Well," said the manager, after a moment's thought, “ suppose we call it £SO a week." “All right." “Of course, you understand that £SO is merely what we call it. You will get £5."

As we have before mentioned, an “ Anti-flirting Bill" has lately been debated and rejected by the Senate of Virginia. The Ohio Legislature also has views, a bill having been introduced requiring persons applying for licences to marry to pass s, medical examination. It provides for an examining board of physicians in each county, and forbids the •granting at a license to persons, having dipsomania, or any form of insanity or hereditary tuberculosis.

The Bulletin’s ideas re the totalisator tax :—During 1897, over 1-800,000 passed through the Maoriland totalisator, and the State’s miserable per cent brought £12,079 to the Treasury. There is no earthly reason why the tote should not pay 3, or evep’ 4, per cent. At 3 per cent, with the larger population of N.S.W. and Victoria, it should be worth £40,000 a year in either of these provinces. At 4 per cent it should run to £50,000. This is one of the unexplored sources of revenue which might be set aside to form a Public Works Fund, so that the harmless, necessary bridge and culvert and railway could be built without handing a load of debt down to posterity.

Vanity Fair tells this excellent story. At a certain fashionable hotel on the Riviera a well-known Royal couple have been lately staying, and one night on passing through the great hall on their way from the restaurant they were seen to greet most kindly and graciously a very ordinary looking couple who had hitherto been unobserved by the majority of visitors to the hotel. Immediately they became centres of the liveliest interest. People, chiefly the American contingent, discovered undeniable marks of breeding and distinction about them. Their retiring, quiet, unobtrusive ways were now deemed “ exclusiveness " ; for the associates of Royalty surely must needs keep aloof from the common herd 1 Finally, a well-known member of English Society having been seen in conversation with them, he was promptly questioned as to his friends, and his rejoinder was: “ Well 1 the lady is the Queen’s masseuse, who is now on her wedding trip. She has rubbed Her Royal Highness’s knee and Her Majesty’s feet, and —she has nebbed me all over 1 "

The Kaiser’s latest craze. A London journal states that the German Emperor has been experimenting privately with a new explosive, which he claims to have invented, and which he proposes to call “ Rexite.”

An American’s opinion as to the English game of cricket. Mr H. N. Cason, a wellknown American Democratic politician who recently Witnessed an English county match, describes the game as follows; It was entirely unlike any American

game I ever hoard of. A score of quite young men, dressed in white, were sauntering abofit on a lirge green lawn, and tWo of them Were throwing grounders to two others, who leisurely put their big flat bats in the road. I asked my companion when the game was to begin, and to my surprise he said it had been going on for a day and a half and would probably last all week. I didn’t know the meditative young men in white were the players; I thought they were the umpires. There were about 4,C00 people present, but there was no shouting nor excitement. It seemed like a religious service, or an annual ceremony to commemorate the death of King Alfred the Great. I’m sure that not even the most bigoted Sabbatarian could object to a game of cricket on Sunday, and it would be exceedingly impressive if it were played in one of the old cathedrals.

But English people on the other hand consider the Yankee game of baseball as intensely dull.

Some of the results of the observations made during the solar eclipse of January last are enumerated by Mr E. Walter Maunder in Knowledge for March, He says !

“Up to tho present time it certainly is the record eclipse, either as regards the number of observers, the character of their equipment, or the unohequered favour which they experienced from the Weather. “ ‘ A victory all along the line ’ is what we have to record. The full significance of that victory, and what results may accrue from it, it will take us many months to learn. ' “ The shape of the coarona recalled at once that of 1796, and with it the two earlier years 1868 and 1886, which it resembled. To the south west a long ray nearly in tho solar equator was easily traceable for two, if not three, solar diameters from the dark limb of the moon. On the east side a pair of broader and less extended streamers formed a single connected structure, in which the characteristic coronal curves were repeatedly seen. “ The feathery structure round the solar poles, which was so plainly seen in the eclipse of 1878, and which has been recognised more or less clearly at so many eclipses since—especially at or near the time of minimum—was very apparent on the present occasion. “ At the extreme ends of the line of stations a novel experiment in photography was attempted. At Bexar, on the Ganges, and at Yiziadrug, on the coast, a kinematograph was employed so as to obtain a continuous series of photographs of the progress of the eclipse. The instrument at Bexar was supplied by Mr Nevil Maskelyne, and worked by the Rev J. M. Bacon, the astronomer in charge of one of the two parties organised by the British Astro nomer in charge of one of the two parties organised by the British Astronomical Association, and the other was in the hands of Lord Graham.”

The rupee is said to be coined as freely in Indid to-day as it was before the Government closed the mints. When the mints were open, more rupees were coined by private coiners than by the Government. The savings of the natives are made in silver bracelets, rings, add other ornaments. When it became necessary for them to turn a part of their resources into money, they did it by employing a native coiner travelled from place to place and hut to hut, just like a country tinker. He was glud to work all day turning silver bangles into rupees for perhaps one rupee as his reward. And very good rupees they turned out, too. They are current everywhere, and nobody questions them,

The following amusing skit appears in the last number of the Wanganui Collegian Ah I how I am content to have arrived ! This terrible sea I Truly I rejoice of not being an ; Englishman : What life 1 to live always in the sea, to suffer all days from mal-de mer 1 1 arrive in Wellington : It makes fine. It is the metropolis of a country, so fiine so admirable, but mon dic.u so full of wind: I see Sir Stout, Sir Eanfurly, and milord Bolleston. One speaks to me of Parliament, alas, it sits not. What to do ? One says to me “Go by "road-ot-iron to North." I part at seven hours, I arrive in Wanganui (What droll of name !). There is here a School: in the journal I see that a “ match of footballs" is played this day. Igo there. I present myself on the ground of football. One has mistaken : there is not a game. Several peoples are combatting at the middle of the field—in fine, one frees himself and runs, and runs, how he runs 1 Ah, but the others, they also run! They leap, they struggle, they roar like some wild beasts, they pull him down 1 Mon dieu, they will ecraser him. A boy of the most small, who is holding himself all near me, he says “joliwelloollair." I ask a mister “ why is the fight so brutal ? ” He astonishes himself, and says “It is the game.” I regard the ball; she is no round, but like an egg. This mister, a man very courteous, shows me two long sticks planted in the ground; he says they are gold. 1 I do not wish to contradict this mister, so amiable, but it is monstrous I Ah, but what a scene 1 a man holds himself planted there by the long sticks 1 but no, the ball goes herself away to him : that one runs violently towards the ball, he does not get her, no 1 a boy, all that is of the most vast, seizes her : he

preoipates himself between the two The small boy out of himself with joy, cries “Affair try.” I comprehend nothing. I ask my mister, “what is the Affairs?” He responds “ they healed out of the serrrum and passed the fool-back." Thousand thunders, what language I I comprehend absolutely not one single word, always except the foolbaok; him I comprehend. Decidedly I love not the English games. If these English go to amuse themselves in a manner so brutal, what is that which they do when they fight ?

A capital story is told in connection with the Premier’s visit to the far North. As one of the conveyances in which the Right Honourable gentleman was being driven through the island was making the best of its way along a very dusty country road, a milk cart seemed to be in earnest chase. The driver of the homelylooking vehicle and still more homelylooking old horse was seen to be urging his not too-willing steed to a rare pace, and one that threatened at one time to give the Premier’s team the go-by. “ I say," said the Premier to his driver, “ you are not going to let that cart pass us and give us the benefit of the clouds of dust it is raising are you ?" The driver, in response, shook up bis horses and soon the gap between pursuer and pursued perceptibly widened. The countryman then stood up to his work and urged his horse forward with reins, whip, and voice. He gained a bit and then yelled “ Pull up 1 pull up 1" Thinking something was amiss and that help was needed, the Premier gave instructions to slow down and his driver hallooed to the man in the cart to know what was wanted.

On Came the spring cart in grand style; creating a perfect dust-storrh. As soon as the now freely perspiring man and beast got to close quarters, the countryman sang out; “ Give Us a show: I want to see the Premier 1" Scenting a oUe-msri deputation, It repented Mr Seddon that he had not gone right on. Up alongside the cart was driven and then the occupant looked long and interestedly at the burly figure of the Liberal chief. “ That’s all right," be then aaid. “ I’ve bad a devil of a run for it, and I’ve spanked my old horse a lump ; but," and this with great show of satisfied ambition. “ I’ve seen the Premier, anyhow ’. " At this, there was a shout of good-natured laughter and with a cheery word or two from Mr Seddon the countryman turned his horse about and drove away beaming.— Wairarapa Leader.

Mr T. B. Bishop, who wrote “John Brown’s Body,” the great war song of the Union soldiers in the American Civil War, has just written a new song in anticipation of a Spanish war, and its title is “ It takes a man to be a soldier.” Oddly enough, in the first edition of the former song, then called “ Glory! Hallelujah 1 ” John Brown’s body was not mentioned. Mr Bishop is living in retirement at Clifton, New Jersey, but the war preparations have stimulated him to this effort of his old age, which is to be first published in one of the New York Sunday papers.