Turning the Tables.

Otago Witness, Issue 1862, 29 July 1887, Page 33

Turning the Tables.

In Paris there exists a society of actresses, comprising some of the most popular artistes of the day, which once every year gives a •' ladies' ball," possessing some remarkable features. A limited number of invitations are sent out to members of clubs, sportsmen, eminent painters and journalists. The committee allots one gentleman to each actress, who calls for her cavalier m a carriage, places a small bouquet in his button-hole, assists him in getting out of the carriage, sees that all his wants are attended to at the supper-table, is careful to protect him against draughts between the dances, and when the ball is over, escorts him to the door of his dwelling. All the gentlemen who have hitherto taken part in these interesting festivities express themselves as highly delighted with the amiability of their fair hostesses. — Le Rappel.

The Late Viscountess Strangford.

Miss Florence Nightingale never had a more worthy disciple in the noble and praiseworthy cause of alleviating human suffering than she found in the person of Emily Ann, Viscountess Strangford and Baroness Penshurst, who died at sea, during her voyage from London to Port Said, on March 19 last. She was the youngest daughter of the late Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, F.R.S., who died in 1857, after which event she travelled for some years in the east with her sister, Miss Rosa Beaufprt ; and her well-known and interesting work " Egyptian Sepulchres and Syrian Shrines " bears ample testimony io her abilities as an authoress. Two large editions of it were sold in a few weeks. Jt was this book which led to. her acquaintance with Percy, eighth and last Viscount Strangford, himself an eminent Oriental scholar and philologist ; and in 1862 their marriage took place. This most happy union did not complete its seventh year. Perfect sympathy existed between them in their studies and desire to help the poor and oppressed in any land, irrespective of party or oreed ; but, from living so much abroad, Lord Strangford devoted much of bis thoughts a#d hjg pen to the interests of,

the inhabitants of the Ottoman Empire. Too weak in health to travel much himself, he sent his young wife on a rough journey through Albania and Montenegro, saying he knew no one else who would bring him the information he wanted with so much accuracy and so little prejudice. This journey resulted also in another successful booli, " The Eastern Shores of the Adriatic." Their happy married life, passed chiefly on tho Continent, ended in January 18G9 ; and, to use the touching words of his biographer, "he died in the arms of her whose tender care had prolonged his frail life, and whose lqve had lent it the only sunshine it had known." A long illness prostrated her after this sad event; but on her recovery she devoted herself to the completion of many philanthropic works they had planned together, and, in addition, the training of hospital nurses, ambulance associations, and establishing hospitals, during which period she visited Bulgaria, and saw the immense sums which, were raised by her exertions expended under her own direction, with the assistance of Sir Vincent Kenneth. Barington and others. Her work for the benefit of the sick and wounded in 1877 is too recent and too well known to need repetition ; but it is i not generally known that it was in the course of that war Lady Strangford was taken prisoner by the Russians, and underwent hardships from which she never fully recovered. Her feet were frostbitten and her eyes seriously affected by the extremes of heat and cold exposure she had endured. On her return home, after establishing the hospital in Cairo, her Majesty (who took a deep interest in its welfare, lent it her name, and subscribed to it), gave Lady Strangford a private interview in Buckingham Palace, and shortly afterwards conferred on her the distinction of the Red Cross, then recently instituted, It may be added that the whole of her years of widowhood were spent in the work of oharity, especially in connection with the establishment of hospitals and the thorough training of woman for the important profession of sick nurse ; and to this end she went through a course of training at one of the principal London hospitals to fit herself for the task. It was while on her way to be present at the opening of the now hospital at Port Said that she was so unexpectedly taken from her earthly labours, as it were, in the front of -the battle, leaving behind her a name which will long remain bright and illustrious in the annals of womanhood.