A TALKATIVE WOMAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

A TALKATIVE WOMAN.

N’vrr perhaps iu I he hidtory of women h;i.vo so luany words hreu ntiored in so slu.irl. a space of lime as fell at Burling(vn House from f lies lips el. Airs ~ucu;u .1 Ch.imher'aiu, the last wit ness to ho examined before the South Africa Hospitals commission. _ At 11. o'clock Lord Justice Kcmicr sat him down at (ho head of too long, bliic-covcrod table. On his ono baud was Sir David Richmond, and on flic other Or Church. . !u swept Mrs Chamberlain with a fain., niello of silk and a fainter breath, of dflicato perfume, and if she proved a sadly trying witness she made: a charming pied lire. A very big, white lmt,_ a wonderful, iii'.uy, gauzy thing, lay lightly ion her soft'grev hair. Under it, a pair of big blue eye* peered and .sparkled from her fresh and pretty face. Sho was gowned quite perfectly iu a dress of soft dove colour, and round her neck floated u big white boa. With the slightest inclination of her head, she said: with lissom grace into her chair. She took her small, whitegloved hands from out of her ermine mu'ff and folded them demurely. on the (able. Beneath it she crossed, still more cl-, mu rely, a- pair of tiny, dovc-colonrod shoos with high rod heels. Then, with a little laugh, she began to speak, ami for an hour and threequarters sho dominated the whole proceedings. From out of her red and Mailing m-mth came pouring, ever faster and faster, a torrent of words. After them the official shorthand reporter, hoi and flurried, toiled iu vain. Men who should know said afterwards that she launched a clear 20,000 words at tin.' distracted judge. Time and time again. Sir Robert Reiner bowed his courtly head, anti with uplifted, imploring baud, murmured in supplicating accents, “'Mot so last, please my dear madam ; not- so fast.’’ But the little lady paid small heed.. The grey hr.ired commissioners sleeted I licit'- hearts an cl put her many searching questions- questions that would have brow-beaten many another witness. .Her nimble wit stood tier in good stead. L-erd Justice Ronicr would deliver an attack, forceful and direct. 'With the swiftness and cunning of a Do Wot she would dodge the blow, and with a flash of her brilliant ryes would make a, flanking movement that utterly routed (he judge. . .. Towards the close sbo became indignant a! some of the questions asked. •■Yon are doing.” she cried, “what, every man did iu South Africa, trying to make. tbi!i"”< as awkward as you can. Aou are behaving nut as if you were judges, but if you were the counsel for Ihe defence of*the army doctors.” ‘The- room was filled with, dismay. Slowly Sir Robert Reiner recovered himself. "Vou are quite mistaken.’ be said, ru trues of gentle expostulation; “but what wo waul of yon to understand is ih;d (his is file end oi the inquny and not (lie beginning. Me have taken an enormous quantity el evidence,_ and what we v..pit is not opinions, hut facts, madam, facts, facts, facts.' A.I (he outset. Mrs Chamberlain a woman witli a grievance, Sho haa gone out to the Ca-nv.with thoyniosi pliiiimthro (Ye intputinliP and unlimited iunds. Her idea, mis to Mart a civil hospital lor soldiers, ins 1.,t h” cruel and heartless nireciur-t'cviei;d would have none cu if.

TTiis, Lord Justice Loiner explained the Court did not care to hear about

"-'•o -!>.-• !;-iii<-iied foith into a dr..- sC ripricn „i; !:Ii- -hr.-.g: J'" had bou-cht for the . ;ek lt.-i. ■•. -;ji t<u! de Cologne (!o» n to liX-: i;iU!-;r f-siii' - • lor ih'.- invalid:. -ViTrl-v hooded . :he :■.Ji'i. wore "&1i :.i .■ 'I:;!-.'' Y'-id had nothing tor tisrfi. >!)>■■ Ire' '. i.'rv :.i.ron-5 opinion:, t.oo, in ii„, juat <(.>.■ ot ordeviif:.-;. ' L'.'ilimiied fresh "ill- ■■ii'" l 'i have (:.•<■--■! pioetued, but the iioeiVr:'were :oo !a:;y to gel 'd. M 3dalcUinii. for ni-iauec. there wa.-. plenty of ;',•(• ,!i milk en ;.>" eitiiian ndo of the Ji'j.'i.ii'.d, hoi m.oe ! » i ( ke mililary. olr mad; tils" sn eepinf.' a-rei t ion 'hat drn;;ken (y<c-'' 'if; from the. ho>pilais, and thev w- rr often drrmk. were drafted on to home-;.;oi:!-c i to take cart; ui' iiie mvnlitia. A died for names, :.j)C hositattd. She did not eare, die -aid, to make the.ru 1 "'-'''Uviir- tin m dov, ii.'' ."aid the Judge. •■We will treat ! hem in ennfidenee.'' 'XI,:■ lad".' ponied and. wrote a name on ;, -dip of paper. ~-,,, '\\ liV. there,-, only one, sua tho VVdYh the ex-lure .of one, throwing hcr...jf mi ihe Judge's mercy, she said: ■'>'e,, [ knew. I'nfortunaleiy, I have for:;oMen t'i" naaie of one of them. I lev. ever/' :he continued, bright.eniny ;,p, ■ :■(><' can ii.-:!•: Lord Lanstlownc, ])c'lf tell von, you know. As for tho third, W' ll,' la-' real I v was :Oieh a. very, very na.e'liifle man, J. don't, like to toil his name, not even to \oa. You must tako .■iv word lor ii ," ;die addcel, pathetically'. t'.j\iii.'--: v. lib iiev handkerchief. Sir Roli'ol. .drrhrd wearily, and took ii.

?v :d ..In- was very angry about the I rcatrueai of lunatic palienl-. Shceilcd the inslanee of an arl diary officer who was allowed lo wander about, the ho.spilai w reathed with garlands of flowers and playing a banjo. She was however, far more eoneerned about another “poor young fellow who was not raving but only nielau'-iioiv.” He ha<l tried fo poison I>i tn l -1 f once, but nobody looked afler (dm. 'then ho was; removed to Ci'.ireinoni • "The officials there, M she went on. “were not warned, and” lu re her beaul ilni eyes filled with tears and her voice .sank to deep contraita- ' in (ho morhin-.r—he —shot himself.” The shorthand reporter was so startled he, broke his pen. Sir Robert Romcr dropped In’s eyeglass, and the other eeniiinysioner.s moved uneasily in their ■seals. After this came more .opinions, and Kir Robert, who nad perceptibly aged during- .the ordeal, was so distraught that ho had Io get up from Jus chair and walk restlessly about. “And do yon real!,’, mean,” he said, wJiou the lady had at last done, "to tell us that- yon consider your opinion better than (hat of iho trained army medical niaurI’’ 1 ’’ KJ.io Hi row her head hack wilh a. pretty air of innocent surprise. “Why, of conr-e.” r lie said ; “if it wero not, what wi uM he the use of my being Jicrof” Kir Robert- Rom or was struck dumb. Then I hr. lady gathered up her skirts, and tripperl lightly down the stairs. And tlie inquiry ended.—‘T)ai!v filail.’’