PERSONAL NOTES.
Verdi, the famous composer, has spent much of his fortune in endowing hospitals. He has built one near Fiorenzuoa, and is now constructing another one in Milan for the benefit of old and poor artists. This will cost L 20.000.
The oldest servant in the royal family is said to be Mr Marianus Massie, who is now living in the Royal Lodge, Kensington Gardens. He was born in Aberdeenshire in 1795. He is 97 years of age, and has completed 74 years in the service of the royal family.
Prince Bismarck is said to possess wonderfal conversational powers, and to be witty in the extreme, many of his epigrammatic sayings having already become almost a part of the language. His conversation is greatly enriched by his knowledge of Shakespeare and bis apt quotations from that great master.
One of the records of the veteran journalist and author, George Augustus Sala, is the large number of funeral processions of eminent persons he bag witnessed. G. A. S. dislikes funerals, and yet he has, in his journalistic capacity, attended the interments of the Prince Consort, the Duchess of Kent, the great Duke of Wellington, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the Cxar Alexander 11., the King of Hanover, Napoleon 111., the Prince Imperial, Palmerston, Macauley, Livingstone, Edwin Landseer, Robert Stephenson, and Robert Browning.
Brother Jasper, the author of the famous sermon, "The Sun Do Move." was born a slave near Richmond, Va., 75 years ago, and has been enjoying his career as a preacher 57 years, not in the least hampered by his total lack of book-learning. During his long connection with the Sixth Mount Zion Church afc Richmond, he has delivered the above-named sermon, by special lequest, almost 800 times, and on these occasions the church is filled to its utmost capacity with people from all parts of the oountry, representing various ranks, ages and colour. He uses no notes, and varies his discourse to suit the occasion.
The well-known surgeon, Sir Oscar Clayton, was fond of relating his struggles in early life. The first time he was summoned to meet the celebrated Sir Benjamin Brodie in consultation, not having a brougham of his own be was obliged to hire one, spending the only guinea he possessed in paying for it, the result being that he had not that day the wherewithal to pay for a dinner. It was he who detected the first symptoms of the typhoid fever that so nearly proved fatal to the Prince of Wales, and his practice afterwards increased immensely in consequence.
Here is an interesting item regarding the Empress Eugenic. In her day she was the leader of fashion, and her pin-money for dress was fabulous. Her foot and hand were so small that her maids who had her shoes and gloves as perquisities could find no market for them, so they were presented by the Empress every year to the orphans of the Eugenic Napoleon Asylum, where 50 father-i less and motherless girls were edncated at her cost. All the white shoes and white gloves which those girls wore at their first communion were those which had been worn by the Empress. gfMdlle. Pauline, a native of Oesenbrecht, Holland, is said to be the smallest human being in the world. She was bom in February, 1876, and is therefore 16 years of age. Her height is 18 in, and her weight 71b. Unlike most of the "midgets" that have appeared before the public from time to time, she is remarkably pretty, intelligent, and accomplished, speaking four languages fluently, and if of larger growth would, it is said, make her mark as an actress. Incredible as it may seem, this tiny woman, who can sit inside a gentleman's silk hat with ease, has been trained as an athlete, and goes through a series of acrobatic feats, lifting a 71b weight ?i la " the strong man."
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