HERE AND THERE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3863, 5 October 1899, Page 2

HERE AND THERE

MORE “ENGLISH PERFIDITY.”

Every one will remember that after the explosion of the powder magazine, at-Tou-lon opinion was unanimous in attributing a share in. that atrocious crime to the English. The declarations made by Mr Brodrick in the House of Commons cannot but confirm all-suspicions. ■ Decidedly the author: of-the-‘exMosiou may well have been an Englishman; and not an Anarchist, unless .he was both. —“La Patrie,” Paris. ~ A SUBSTITUTEFOB GRANITE : ~. SETTS. • The most curious street in the world is the Rixe de, la Republique, Lyons. - -It. has recently been paved with; glass. fsTh©.glaqs. ,pavements are Ibid.in: the-form of blocks eight inches- square, leach.block containing sixteen parts .n the form of (checkers. The glass- blocks fate so, closely fitted together that wmter cannot pass betw'een them, and the whole-pavement looks like one gigantic -draughtboard.- As, a pavement, it is said to- have greater resistance that stone; it is a poor conductor of cold, and ice will licit form bn it.

LOST'TREASURE SHIP.' With the* consent'of thfe Turkish Government, some Greek divers began investigations a,short time, ago at .the .bottom of the sea hear Chios, where, in 1770, at the battle of-Ghesnie,, the, Turkish fleet was totally destroyed, and the Russian flagship simk.oThe divers •have: (says a “Standard” Vienna telegram) been most and will-profit largely, •! notwithstanding that the,Turkish Government Claims: a ; 'chh'sideral3le ,! ‘sliai - e. "The Russian ship-lias,been,fouhd', l '3O fathoms 'deep, full of gold and silver coins. According to the “Revue d’Orient”. nearly 300,000 francs has already, been obtained,, and a still largef’shm is believed to be irl the hold. A .Turkish ship! isi dying at anchor, near the, spot, and every sack brought up is at Once counted and its contents booked by the officers.,Erom five to ten thousand gold pieces are got out every day. The coins, however,_are not the only valuables found, among the booty being gold and*silver crosses,; jewellevy, arms, etc., and the cover of a large book, made of solid gold and studded with precious stones. .. . , ORLEANIST PROPAGANDA. Among the various, devices which have recently been pressed into the service Of the Royalist propaganda in France must he reckoned the “leaflet,” so familiar, to the party politicians of England and America. You. can scarcely get into a railway carriage -without finding the seats bestrewn with what looks like the advertisement of some patent medicine. On closer inspection, these little handbills are discovered to be headed thus —“The Duke of Orleans, chief of the Royal-House of France, dcscendant of Henry IV., tomorrow’s King.” : Then follows a sort of Royalist catechism ; thus worded: “Who is the Duke of Orleans?” “He is a prince of energy, on whom the country justly builds its highest hopes. ■ He has a will of iron, and at the same time-a benevolence. that, wins, him every heart.”

“.What will his. government be?” “It will*he new and popular, regaining from tli£ past only what is good,Mid casting overboard rutlvLessly/Hevecything ,else.” •..‘When will the ■ Uuk&.oHJ)rleans ds.sniiie, power ?” “At ./-the t next:.. uppoftunityj which is not far distant. • ,•. ; N . ■ 'CsOju. NEW SCOTT LETTERS. : ‘ llib “Selections from the Manuscripts of Lady Louisa • Stuart” ([Edinburgh: Douglas) contains letters written to that lady-' (>AhhgestAdaughter--btlthe. Marquis of Bute) 'by Sir Walter Ssotti Here is an item: "My choice friend was a certain Alaster Stuart, of Invernahyle, a leader of no''ignoble portion* of your ladyship sroyal clan of the Stuarts, namely, of Appiii, which he led on'many a bloody day. I shall never forget; one’.of his answers to me. I was, I [pupposeyabout ten years old,, and,; sqat«d ( 6ii Tust km?e, listened,tp his warlike exploits, of' wliicrThe was' p'q loth,.narrator. v. jO; JnyoF■ (this :was his familiar and pet name in .the family), ‘will you tell me if you were ever afraid ?’ ‘Troth,:Gurd.ie .mavourneen! v.‘...alter, my darling), said the old man, ‘the first time I gaed into action;'when* I saw the red coats rank opposite to us, and our people put up their bonnets to say a bit prayer, and then scrug their bonnets down over their een,, and set forward like bulls, driving each other on, and beginning to fire their guns and draw their broadswords, I would have given any man ■ a thousand merk to insure me I wad not run away.”

THE RIVALRY OF CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS.; St. Louis seems to be a favourite butt against which’ to turn ‘stories implying crudeness or newness; , The Chicago genius who, during the prevalence of the epizootic, "remarEed' - tTfat~Tirs " horseless city “was as on a holiday,” won an anppymdus iinmortality; while the lahoucedAepartee of a St. Louis man that, ‘ f fe'‘'lhVe'--hxperises, Chicago threw the bodies of murdered strangers into the river, and let them .float to Stl Louis,” was not only far-fetched, but was countered when Chicago explained that then “St. Louis, emptied'the pockets and scut them along'down the river.” This, however, is not refined wit, to say the least. Better far is the Chicago comment on St. Louis’s statement that “a dog in St. Louis weeps over music.” “This is rather remarkable,” said Chicago ; “but it must be remembered that it is St. Louis music.” It was said to be a St. Louis editor who maintained that “one half the lies told about me are not true,” and a St. Louis girl who claimed that city as her “native place part of the time”; and recently a Chicago paper asked what chance there was for grand opera in St. Louis, “where there is only one dress suit to a thousand men.”

Concerning Chicago there is a libel as to the size of feminine shoes, made popular by the cheering reply of the St. Louis damsel when told that a Chicago girl has “one foot in the grave.” “She’s safe enough,” was the heartening response, “she'll never get the other in.” There ds‘ also the story of a Chicago girl who had failed to be fitted, and on asking the salesman, “Have you nothing larger?” was told, “Youriijight try the box.” ‘ “Why,” said the Boston man, “do you Chicago people say, ‘How-is things?’” “Because,” was the crushing response of the native, “we want to-know how things is; that’s why!”—“Century.” SWEAR-WHEELS FOR GOLFERS. A gulraarg correspondent writes; Little swear-wheels, in form not unlike the Burman prayer-wheels, are now in use bn the golf-links in Kashmir. They are conducive to silence, as, when one misses a particularly good stroke, one takes the wheel hurriedly from the caddie and violently turns it round.—“ Morning Post,” Delhi. A REMARKABLE SALE. In a few days a remarkable sale of “bric-a-brac.” will be held in Paris. The lot consist of sticks and canes of all kinds which were picked up after the meeleo; on.'Ahe/racecourse; , at.;: Auteuil; There; are;,about .fifty sticks, in all,- some of: which-ate sword-sticks; butthechief interest istexpected- to, Centre in : lot 24, the; MalabcW ( eahe ! --belonging to Mhde Christian?, ■“with'which President Ldubet was struck. It is in two picesT’ Bidding for this is expected to run high.—“L’Evenemeht,” Paris.

THE NEXT RAGE. The universal adoption of the motor I car in England can only be a matter of ■time. Fifty; miles on a motor car does inot exhaust you so much as Tifteen beihind horses. You can go . down the ■steepest hill with safety, and ride upihill, which is the time when you want Ito ride most, without feeling that you I ought ■:to get mitlandiwalk to; save-the {horses. There' is ■Tittle’'doubt that the i next rage 1 'amqhgibfir.h'ristocracy will be the ijpf. 'motor, . J ears.— “The Qimen.”;;!?'”; .. . ; JUST U&REPORTED INCIDENT OF ~ C a IHEi REVIEW;.; -,.i ■ ’ hi-,Orti. j,.i;-irTTn.■ I Privatdjlbtters.'from ARlershotfwrites :a London correspondent) show how narrow- was the; escape of the .Queen; from being run-down- hy her :oWn-jiussars at the gallop’Rasb-hi: thbYefeent’review.' A well-known.and galljuit.,Eastern counties member whi) ’■ witnessed v the incident speaks I emphasis, of it,,;, in .'fact,Miß--says-_the_-cavali:y. -was., .tho-. roughly and shockingly; bad. He, however, qualifies .condemnation in the cakej. gfjjtwb; cavalry regiments whi*li : 'didjf he - says, splendidly.

FUNNY .‘‘NEWS”. PROM .COLORADO. Menttfre'’Company, it one’ the wealthiest ahd closest coipbrations 'in the world. : ' Who - 'are'- 1 really' at: the back of it very few ■ people know, but a seemingly wellfoundhd report places’ Queen' Victoria and'her associates; ah well as the Prince of Wales, -very'closely in touch with the isyndihate'.' FoeV... jpblitieal . reasons;, it would be manifestly unwise for such personages to their pphneetion with any foreign investments, although during the! past yearn the feeling-towards America has been such' as to permit much closer dealings ‘than formerly.—“ Rocky Mountain News,” Colorado. ‘ A NOSE EXTENDED. ; " i'.'-r. There is a member of the Stock "Exchange whp_has :a'.claim-to. distinction on the ground' of his remarkable nasal development, which is somewhat suggestive »f the -jib - of the' Shamrock. Yesterday this member received a valuable mining tip, and rushed intolthe Westralian market to buy. “Doha .anyone know Ivanhoes Extended and to his surprise received in reply a general chorus of “Rather! 1I”‘ He is still left puzzling over what'the market meant, but with the delicacy which-marks the Stock Exchange nobody likes -to tell him.— “Financial Times’:” •’ * ; :

ST. BERNARD. After nearly nine hundred years a statue of St. ! Bernard d'e Menthon is to be raised on the Great St. Bernard. The committee appointed to carry out, this excellent idea is ; naturally for the monks come from all parts of the world. As some 20,000 persons annually visit the world-famed hospice, there ought to be no difficulty in raising funds

for a memortal'to jts great founder. By the way*,/it may '-wot be generally known that s6s race of Rojgß for which St. Bernard obtained is rextinct, : apd-tha| NgwjSundlands are now enip}oyejd by tjhe'thbhks.' / > AN INTEREteTpfEJXHITMATIOk:'' • \An- interesting exhumation took-place in Madrid a few days ago. The remains of Spain’s famouspoet, Bernardo Lopez Garcia," who died in 1870, were removed of the monkish cemeteries, _ carried through the principal streets in grand .funeral procession, and shippedto the "poet’s- southern- home/ where 1 they 'are* to be placed in a beautiful national mausoleum. On the coffifitJming opened in the presence of of State and from the leading towns, as wpll as. representatives of art and Scieribe, the port's'body jfas found to be perfectly intact’, though nearly thirty years had elapsed since its burial;- His face was as. sweet-'and coinposed as when he died, and his clotnes—a dress-suit of the finest cloth-—were still in a flawless condition. A RUSSIAN “MESSIAH.” , _

‘ In the’Russian province of Samara," on. the Volga,' considerable" excitement’ has been created amongst inhabitants By the appearance of a peasant called Makaroff, ■who alleges that he is the Messiah. Makaroff is a middle-aged man; whose features are said to strongly resemble those attributed to Christ by early Byzantine ar'tists. It is his mission to lead his followers away from their sins, among which’ ihe reckons many of the ritualistic observances of the Orthodox Church. . Accordling to Makaroff, Samara and the neighbouring provinces ave being punished by periodical visitations of pestilence and ifamine, not as the result of drought or 'the scarcity of labour, or any of the other ■alleged causes, hut because of the sins and shortcomings of the people. The new Messiah lias selected ten women of his followers as his 'special ministrants. These he calls “The ten wise virgins.” They serve as his messengers and as the exponents among the peasantry of his peculiar views. .1 GREAT NAMES AT THE CAPE. 1 There are two men in Capetown who bear the names of a couple of England’s most distinguished statesmen. The Bond List ’ shows that William Gladstone was married the other day, and there, is a member of the Capetown 1 police force whose Christian name is Benjamin Disraeli.—“ South Africa.” . ‘ A QUAINT SUPERSTITION." ' There is a curious survival in this pretty, quiet little place, Dawlish; a quaint superstition. It seems that the Spirit of the Bells can overcome that of the Lightning; and so, when thunder rolls, the chief hells are rung to scare away the evil Spirit. On. Saturday the bells rang, furiously when the \storm'. was at its height. They tell me that the bellringer holds a special appointiheiit for'the purpose!—“Vanity Fair.” /• "Tvi, ' , ‘ i

./MOUNTAINEERING FOOTGEAR;' •- Dr Golay; of Geneva; recently lost fee •of his sons,, who fell over a precipice while climbing in the’Alps. The abeicfent was directly attributable to the bad.state of the shoes lie was wearing, and in consequence the unhappy father has organised a competition in shoemaking designed to produce the best possible footgear for mountaineering. The result was a infet interesting exhibition, at which mfey very ingenious' appliances ■ were shown, particularly in the attachment of heels to the boots.—“ Journal de Geneve, - ’ Geneva. -* MISTAKEN HIS CENTURY. . A monstrous old beau has been seen of late in the afternoons on tfe: “sjyeef .shfely side, of Pall-iuall.”. He wear's" a q"eani-. coloured frock coat, the lightest iof light trousers, and a beautiful Cambridge bide silk/waistcoat. He is tall and-elfeii.t and affords much-amusement and spec*.lation to those at the club windows “Eastern Daily Press.” IMPROMPTU TRICK. HIDING.

A, Scotch 'correspondfenti'sendfi nlri fhe 'following story!— * ■’•. “A splendid,feat'or horsemanship was performed the other-day,at, Cults, .near Aberdeen,Mr JameafLafosoiff oT Gulfs, •was, riding % Ajjirithd horse" ’6h"tße’ rbad ■when a cyclist Approached at a rapid rate lon the wrong side. .. The cyclist was leaning forward on his handle ; and 1 a warning shout from Mi> Lawson failed to make ihim alive f:s»Mr Lawson could not get put of the way ip time; so itilrhing- -his-(Korsb 5 ‘hlightly 1 ’ ttf'-theHirdb 1 lat'the ■pomt'-'whhrh'tlm I '^6lll^o^ immanent,,hp .-raised him,op and' 'allowed/t'ofpass through underneath ', the" bpdyf of the'horse.” i This is almost as,good as some of the (“Spectator's” dog stories. "Who was the cyclist? Wna: is his version?.—“The p ritic ” .hr: ..jt ] 8 in .iAciidOhi nU

| THE JEWISH. PARLIAMENT. ! We use no misnomer when we write of the coming Zionist-Congress, as the Jewish Parliam'etft,' for-the fpAssjhg week- is that in which’ the delegates have been elected in all parts of the world in order to represent the Jewdsh-'electdrate in all its'scattered' districts. - The existence of phis Parliament, which this year promisses to sit in session a whole week instead of three days, is in itself a great cause for satisfaction. Four years ago the congress was not even dreamt of, and S aHoirie which has ’hrespohsiye echo throughout the. world. It compels a pe 'goodj- fot'lit least it pompels attention from-Jews to specifically Jewish; matters.-—"Jewish*-World.” | BICYGLE POSTAGE STAMPS. | The bicycle is about to be used in the design of a new American postage-stamp. A mounted bicycle messenger-hoy, will Jbq the* central figure of: the special' stamp for use. id Cuba.—“Anglo-l?uteb-man‘” Amsterdam. : ““ *, 'A , t OF.-.LORD ! Ad -interesting story about the. Duke of Devonshire and his famous yawns is told by Mr Lucy in the new number,pf “The Poinitii}”'* ''‘iony / ..yeais''&sj; when the 'Duke-was J sull with hs knthb House of Commons, I invented a story about him, which found wide currency in an unconventional weekly journal. It was to the effect that, taking his hostess down

to dinnemjop after'lick had., made a long haftulgae 'ili'- the House''of Commons, she 'told hiiiCjthat'Slrq heard that pnrfmr twice during Bossjjbrej” she[persisted. ‘‘Ah,’’ replied Itard" iftartingtan, repressing a tendency tjo yawn' at,the very thought of the exfyeridnod, ‘bat! yhu jdid '-pot' hear the jsj>eewfs|r \ v i v , i ';n „• y THiitELEif'TRICA r.’rt/RAMMER.”

Those unhappy aspirants. In, I lie service of the Quee’ii In a home or abroad, who afe at tins iimnum jwpers •dtoßnrlington House, may he interested to hear ■of a new discovery by doctor Remond, a French scientist. ’ He asserts that the cultivation of the mental powers may he pushed to a far ’higher'’point by the,application of electric currents tha'n’by any art of the crammer;' ’ We do hot' gather ,’that the facts, of classical philology ■or European history'can he introduced into, the-hram .through the medium of a conducting .wire, but Dr Remond claims f.Qt.dbe cerebellum which has-diecn duly prepared by. the transmission of electric shocks-an immense superiority over the mereriiiatural headpiece. . It will, he of no lise for. a Civil service candidate tp go ‘ofE.ilt* once, Jjeftveeu the papers,-totanh-n;it .hjs.craninjn.to a process of electrical imassage* for it is:expressively stated that, do- bo- effective-the process must be prolonged- . But next year’s , competitors migjii find. it ..worth while to begin the {treatment at once, and possibly- we may I.see an electrician attached before long to jthe chief,cramming establishments.

. ... AN ASYLUM YARN. . M. dp Blowitz’s.: delightful anecdote ahouttthe monomaniac who poured a bucket of wa-er/over him to make him gnaw. ;has; l(says: the “Daily Chronicle”) a Scotcli pendant. In a country lunatic asylum in Scotland’there is; or was, an amiable •■visionary known 'as Joint,; >vho he put Mmler restraint beciuise’he imagined That he had been robbed’of an estate which had no existence. ‘ lie was so sane on other subjects that'he was employed in the administrative work of the asylum,’h.ifd practically carried it on. He interviewed the new lunatics on their arrival.;! £ What’s the matter wi ye?” he said to one. ‘.'A-glass hall in the middle ofkmy back;":. “A- glass ball in the middle, of. .your back will bring ye here, urn freen, but it will no tak’ ye oot,” remark-ed-John. : -His’genial-society so impressed some of .his’ acquaintances that 1 there was a small agifatitni for his release. It was prompted by the Hon George Waldegrayp; Leslie,/regarded by/lus friends as somewhat eccentric,nvho raised the question at a’ineCting of-the country asylum board. . He was! opposed by the-'medical superintendent, but a deputation was appointed to call on John and test his wits; ''- ‘‘Well;-John,” said Mr Leslie, ‘bio yott know’why Uani P” u “Ay,” SaidlJbhn. “You know I’m. David Robertson, who won that estate ’train you in litigation ?” said Leslie. . ,‘‘Na,,na,” said John, "if you-Store-Diiavit Robertson,T’d just tak’ a-knife and-rip ye up;, but you’re only that-daft George - Waldegrave Leslie!” CLEANSING THE HOLY CITY. The tourist in Jerusalem had one reason to be grateful'ifti-;;tlfo-,Einporqr William’s visit. It, : wastprdteded by the cleansing of the streets;--"'’Lt now seems thatdt is. to be followed by equally desirable action.- -A special committee lias heed_ formqd'iii Jerusalem;'in order to 'thik-cleaasing, of.-the Jewish qn'irtWJ A'AU’.ohlyJljnpicJe 'hut i’outside the city., ■ The European authorities of JncTaisin- are,applauding.the movement, ami the Alliance Israelite of Paris has offered a/consult table sum towards defraying the expepse.; ~ . . .