PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 41

PERSONAL NOTES.

Miss Susanna Warfield, who composed the grand inaugural march which was rendered at the inauguration of President William Henry Harrison, 48 years ago, has just died at her home near Sykesville, Md. She was 95 years old.

Friedrich Niephagen, the last survivor of the celebrated irregular cavalry corps known as " Lutzow's Wild Hunt," which played a conspicuous part in the Prussian "War of Liberation " in 1813-14, died recently, aged 93.

Dr Oliver Wendell Holmes decided after the death of his wife that he would do no more literary work. He has changed his mind, however, and now finds in the monthly letters to the Atlantic a source of pleasure that he did not expect to again experience.

Lady Howard de Walden has expressed her intention of endowing, at a cost of £10,000 or £12,000, a ward at the West Kent Hospital, at Maidstone, as a thank offering for her recent recovery from a serious illness. Her Ladyship has also expressed her desire to endow a curacy for St. Philip's Church, Maidstone.

The quarrel between Prince Napoleon and his son Victor has become so bitter that the most painful scones took place when they recently met at Turin for the purpose of attending the obsequies of the Duke of Aosca. Indeed, their conduct was such that King Humbert was forced to insist upon their withdrawal from the funeral procession so as to avert a public scandal.

Mrs Humphrey Ward is said to be transferring some of her plans from fiction to real life. A house has been taken in Gordon square, where a new sort of Toynebee Hall is to be established, with Mrs Ward as the high-priestess of the New Religion. Dr Martineau, Mr Stopford Brooke (tho biographer of Robertson of Brighton), and other humanitarians of the broad school are interesting themselves in the scheme.

Dr Dudgeon, formerly a missionary of the London Society, now enjoys the proud position and title of " Physician in Ordinary to Prince Kung, and to the family of the Manchu Governor of Pekin." A few years ago the Empress Mother was supposed to be dying of phthisis, and the court doctors at Pekin were shaking in their shoes ; they went to the English medical missionary on the strict q.t., and so far from " receiving them in dudgeon," the worthy doctor gave them prompt and efficient aid. Her Majesty recovered, and the secret oozed out that her wonderful cure was really owing to the skill of the European physician. From that hour his reputation was made with the Celestials. Count Li is another high potentate in China who has a foreign doctor, or rather doctress, for his Physician in Ordinary is a Miss King, an American lady practitioner, who saved the life of the Count's wife a few years ago. Jules Verne lives at Amiens, the capital of the Department of Somme, France. Verne is not the distinguished novelist's real patronymic. His family name is Olchewitz, which is decidedly moie in keeping with his Polish origin, for by birth he is a Pole. Jules left his native Warsaw when a youth of 18, and during his years of early struggle in Paris was often indebted to his elder brother William for the means of procuring the necessaries of life. Ho is now 68 years of age, is the youngest of three brothers, of whom the eldest died about a year ago, afc

the remarkable age of 110. Casting about for a pen-name, he adopted the expedient of translating the initial syllables of his family name (which in English means " beech ") into its French equivalent, " Verne." He is now engaged on a great work, which will give a full revelation in regard to his true name and early Parisian experiences.

No one familiar with Mr Arthur Balfour in the House of Commons seven, or even five, years ago would have made bold to ptophesy r,hat he would reach his present position. There was always something attractive about him in the langorous grace of his manner and in the polish of his occasional sentences ; but it seemed to the few who took the trouble of seriously considering him that he was all grace and polish, and that there was no foundation of those more sterling qualities which go to make a man successful in the hard labour of politics. The experience of the last three years has, with ever-increasing force, corrected this impression. Inheriting what is perhaps the most difficult post in the Administration, Mr Balfour has conducted its affairs with a force and skill that have extorted the admiration even of the Irish members. He has disclosed a strength of character and a tenacity of purpose the latent existence of which his most intimate friends never suspected. The languorous youth, with his pretty, mincing ways, has succeeded where the rugged strength and practical manner of Mr Forster failed. — H. W. Lucy, in the Speaker.