PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2331, 3 November 1898, Page 53

PERSONAL NOTES.

— The Crown Prince of Siam is among the boy authors of the world; he has written several stories for English children's magazines, and can write fluently in three European languages. — The Duko of Cambridge, who is fond of collecting awords, always wears on State occasions the dianaond-hilted weapon which was presented to him by the Shah of Persia. He dislikes donning a military uniform, believing that hia stoutness is not so apparent in evening dress. — The writing of Mr R. D. Blackmore, the novelist, is like that of Sardou, the French playwright. It is so fine and email, and the letters are so detached, that a magnifying glass sometimes is brought into use, otherwise it would be almost unfeadabla to the naked eye. — In his youthful days the Tsar had a great admiration for Ins spouting, self-confi- ' dent and slightly older fellow-sovereign, "William of Germany. In maturer years he naturally wishes to play as great a part in Europe as the spouting Hohenzollern, and this rescript [the peace proposal] is his first attempt at rivalry. — Saturday Review. — The German Emperor takes for his breakfast a small white loaf, the top of which is covered over with salt, and which, accord- | ingly, goes by the name of salt bun. After ! this he consumes a small special kind of bun I known as a "Lucca eye," then some sandI wiches, for which another kind of bread is required, baked until the outside is quite black. —Dr John Hall, the well-known Presby- ' terian minister of New York, is generally roputed to be far the wealthiest clergyman in ! the world. His congregation is largely composed of millionaires and wealthy city men. i A member of his congregation who has recently died left the doctor in his will an annuity of £600 a year, in appreciation of his services. — In connection with a proposal of the Lincolnshire folk to erect a statue to the «late laureate, who was a native of the county, the Lord-Lieutenant (Earl Brownlow) told the story that one of Tennyson's grandsons, on being asked what he thought of his grandfather's poetry, promptly replied: I don't care much about it myself, but I would punch the head of anybody who said it was not good. — Lord Wharncliffe enjoys the unique distinction of possessing more names than anybody else in the peerage. His completo cognominal catalogue is Edward Montagu Stuart j Granville Montagu-Stuart-Wortley-Macken-zie, Earl of Wharncliffo and Viscount Carlton. No ono else amongst our aristocracy boasts of eight names. The Duke of Portland has seven, and Lord Clinton a like number. — A good story is told in " M. A. P." of the Rev. S. Baring- Gould, of whom it can be said that few men have filled more parts in the intellectual and literary walks of life than he. He was once asked by a lady whom ho took down to dinner whether he was ' the author of those delightful lives of the saints or of those atrocious novels?' He had to confess to being guilty of both. — Mr Astor, the American millionaire^ has an annual income of over £300,000, and owns enough business property in New York City alone to afford office room for 52,000 people. In fact, he has often visited buildings in certain portions of New York, and upon in- j quiry first learned that they belonged to Mm. Much of his property he has never seen, and I only knows of it through the agents who collect his rents. ! — Great rejoicings were in progress in August at Stoneleigh Abbey, in connection with, the golden, wedding of Lord and Lady Leigh. Stoneleigh Abbey is a fine old coun- j try mansion ; and is in a neighbourhood full of reminiscences of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Lord Leigh is very popular in the county, where he does a great deal of publio work, and takes a prominent part in politics, being an enthusiastic Conservative. The series of festivities were to last throughout the week, j The tenantry had arranged for several presentations, j — Mr Haldane M'Fall, author of " The ! Wooings of Jezebel Pettyfer," has been ■ spoken of as a son of Madame Sarah Grand. ; This is incorrect, for the only son of the creator of "The Heavenly Twins" is on tho stage — a promising young comedian with a very humorous style. Mr Haldane M'Fall is Madame Sarah Grand's stepson, which makes those who have put his skill in writing down to heredity look foolish. He has been known hitherto as an art critic, or, as he prefers to put it, "a writer about pictures and painting" ; but in future he will probably devote a good deal of his time to fiction. — Curious creeds can be found among the upper classes of England. Lord Pollington, eldest son of Lord Mexborough, is a selfconfessed Buddhist. The Duke of Northumberland and his family, including Lord and Lady Percy, are Irvingites, as are Sir Herbert Maxwell and Lady Frances Balfour, a daughter of the Duke of Argyll. Lord and Lady Radnor are credited with being ardent spiritualists. The late Lady Charlemont was a Jewess, not by birth, but by conviction; and Lord Stanley, of Alderley is said to favour the principles of Mohamed. —In a narrative of his early struggles, which he contributes to "M. A. P.," Mr Johannes Wolff, the famous violinist, says: c ' Often I was positively hungry. Often I have gone into a baker's shop, bought a couple of small loaves and a piece of cheese, and have gone up to the small room in the cheap hotel where I lived, and taken my only meal for the day. So it went on for several years, until in the end I began almost to despair. SaintSaens, however, still kept encouraging me, always had faith in me, always told me that one day I should be recognised. Ten years ago I made up my mind to come to London and the period of my struggles ended." — Captain Robley D. Evans, of the United States navy, known in the service by the sobriquet of " Fighting Bob," has a halt in his walk. The lower part of his left leg is badly twisted backward, the result of a wounded knee received during the storming of Fort Fisher in tho Civil War. When the sailors and marines had been landed, a storming party was told off and volunteers asked for to lead it. Four stepped foqvard, among them being Evans, then a midshipman. They tossed a coin for the perilous honour. Evans won. He was the first to mount the scaling ladder, but when he reached the parapet a shot struck him in one knee, and he fell inside the rebel works. The next day Fort Fisher fell, and he was recaptured. He was subsequently placed on the retired list, but ! on his pleading to be allowed to return to duty a resolution was passed by both Houses of Congress restoring him to the active list, and exempting him from physical examination as to disability.

— A curiosity recently exhibited at Stockholm was a section 4ft in diameter from a pine tree which grow 60 to 70 miles north of tha Arctic Circle.