Items.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6045, 10 September 1894, Page 4

Items.

The most luxuriant railway carriage in existence is probably the "drawing-room saloon "of the royal train. Hung with silk, and fitted up with easy chairs, sofas, reading and writing tables and, in short, all the appointments of ihe most luxurious mansion—it is a travelling apartment to dream about. It is lighted by shaded lamps, so arranged that, while the whole saloon is filled with a soft refulgent light, there is not the least glare. The night saloon, which communicates with the drawing-room by a covered passage, is equally luxurious, and, certainly, the, comforts of travelling have been reduced to a fine art in the royal train. Nobiliary honors da not seem to have crushed May Yohe.- An American writes from London to a New York friend : I wish you could see May Yohe —I beg her pardon—Lady Hope. The success which she has scored here is simply astonishing, considering what her position was when she left our side of the pond. Lady Hope puts on no airs. Her greeting when she met me behind the scenes at°" Little Christopher Columbus" was characteristic. " How are you, old man ? " she exclaimed: "What's yours?" But talk about high jinks behind the scenes ! Even the Casino would pale before the fair May's didoes. The other night, during her first song, Ivan Caryl, who was conducting, led too slowly. Yohe marched down to the footlights and informed him, at the top of her lungs, that he was a silly devil. Latter on in the same evening, she stubbed her toe on a ring in the"" floor of the stage. May winced with pain ; the audience laughed. Quick as a flash Yohe exclaimed, "Excuse me, ladies and gentleman, but I must say, ' Damn it.'"

An attempt is to be made, says an exchange, to dispense with the repetition of the figures in quadrilles and lancers. It is found that young people often refuse to dance because they are not clear about the various figures of these square dances, and cannot, of course, be sure that they may not be required to lead. By the new rules, all the dancers will move simultaneously and with the same action, so that a person almost ignorant of dancing might, without fear of making himself ridiculous, " stand up " on an emergency. Anything that will encourage young men to dance should be warmly supported. According to a trans-Atlantic correspondent. " Oscar Wilde now dresses, as hs imagines, in fin de siecle fashion. He wears a long sack coat of grey Scotch cloth, which reaches nearly to the knees. His cravat is enormous. His hair is once more left long, and parted on the side. His cuffs are many sizes too large for him, and are fastened with links. He wears a golden chain bracelet, attached to which is a heart-shaped locket. The little finger of his left hand is covered to the nail with conspicuous rings. A good story is current of General T. C. Lyons, C.8., commanding at Bermuda. The gallant officer, among other hobbies, vigorously encourages soldiers' gardens. One day, taking an early stroll in mufti, he lately saw three or four privates raking about. Much pleased, he remarked, "Well, my men, nice thing gardening is, isn't it 1 I see you take an interest in it." "Do I V surlily rejoined Tommy Atkins. " That's all you know. We have got a blank, blank old general here who's mad on it, and we are here on fatigue duty in case he comes along,"