PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 66

PERSONAL NOTES.

— The Rev. Father Sir Brook George Bridges, Bart., of the Society of Jesus, died at Bhosawnl, Bombay presidency, at the advanced age of 97, on December 2. The title is now extinct. — The Kaiser, it is said, takes a great delight in seeing very big men in unitorm. It is in the blood. Frederick the Great, when Jie had* need of propitiating his irascible old father, used to make him a present of a , 6ft 4-in of 6ft sin Grenadier. That softened the heart of Frederick William. — Colonel Kekcwich, who is so ably defending Kimboiiky, is a nephew of Mr Justice Kekewich. President Steyn is a member

of the Inner Temple, and Mi Schreiner of the Middle. Both Lord Da,vey and Lord Justice Homer have sons fighting in the present war. — Lord Kitchener, it is said, intends to kave a zoological garden of his own. He has bought an island on the Nile, and is going to stock it not only with all kinds of plants and trees, but also with animals. Mr Cecil Rhodes, by the way, already owns a "zoo" an South Africa. — Sir Julian Emanuel Salomons, who is a leading statesman of New South Wales, hos been elected a Bencher of Gray's Inn. This is the first occasion on which a colonial statesman has been honoured m this fashion. Sii- Julian W./-5 called I'j the bar at Gray's Inn in 1851, but almost iiiiinedialely went to Australia, and it was iv bis character as a

member of the bar of New South Wales that j he was appointed a Q.C ' ; — General Pole-Carew, who distinguished ' himself at the crossing of Modder Hiver, is the head of an old Cornish family, which has been <-ettlerl at Antony for several centuries Hi* home is only a few miles distant from the house of that other heroic Cornishman, the late General Perm Symons. General PoleCarew ia a kinsman of Sir Redvera Buller. — Mr Thomas Kneen, a leading member of the Manx Bar, has been appointed Second Deemster, the position having become vacant through the death of Deemster Gill. The ■•alary is £1000 pev ycoi The appointment i-, most popu'ar, the ru- - ->Miir-ter belonging „) one of the oldest Man' -aiuiiies. lie wa> called lo the bar iv 1877, and, being only 45, is one of the youngest men appointed to the Manx Bench. — The Hon. Alfred Lyttelton is one of many instances of the incorrectness of "Geoffrey Delamayne," Wilkie Collins" 3 well-known type of athlete 1 !. The finest wicket-keeper of modern times, lo =ay nothing of his championship at tennis, and his internatioaal cap at football, he is also one of the mo=t buccc^sful lawyers of his diiy. | — Siy Aitift'r Sullivan, mainly for reasons of health, has resigned the important and honourable post, which he has held for 20 year*, of conductor of the Leeds triennial mus : cal festhals. He was appointed in the early pert of 1880, in succession to Sir Michael Costa, and he has most successfully held the office ever since, making the Leeds festivals renowned throughout Europe. — The appointment of Sir Evelyn Wood to be honorary Colonel of "The Devil's Own," as the Inns of Court Volunteers aye styled, is specially appropriate, inasmuch as the general, notwithstanding the mauv demands on his time, actually read for, and was called to, the bar a quaiter of a century ago. He , is a nephew, also, of a former Lord High ' Chancellor — the late Lord Hatherley. His family springs from the city of which his paternal grandfather was twice Lord Mayor and represented in Parliament. — Tho Marchioness of Salisbury was fairhaired — her husband's locks used to be nearly as dark as the raven's. Lady Salisbury was a little woman — her husband is a giant. In stature the sons take after the father ; in looks they are the mother "from top lo toe." Lord Hugh Cecil is the very picture of his mother, who has communicated much of her own shyness and nervousness to all her children. — Since the Queen of H oil? nd has taken the reins of Government li^.ier hands she has become very regular in her haßits. Like most loyal personages, she is an early riser, and breakfasts ot 7 o'clock with her mother. At-9 State business is transacted. By 11 ths Queen is out with her retinue riding in the neighbouihood of Apeldoorn; and luncheon is on the table at half-past 1. The Queen reserves Mondays for audiences with her Ministers, and on other afternoons private audiences are granted. Dinner is served at half-past 7. — General Galacre is a man of a spare and wiry physique, and is still in the early fifties. His demeanour is serious, but courteous, and he is somewhat stern. Ilis indifference to his own personal surroundings is remarkable, and he will sleep in a ditch with perfect good nature, but he expects his officers to do the same thing with as little concern as himself. It was he who -organised and directed the plague relief works two years ago in Bombay, and the -vigour and the thoroughness with which he did his work marked him out as a notable man. — The new treasurer of the Middle Temple. London, is Mr Kemp, Q.C. He has enjoyed a considerable practice for a number of years, and has probably had more experience in run-ning-down cases than any other man at the bar. For the benefit of the uninitiated, I may mention that running-down cases are not actions for slander. Mr Kemp is said to be a wonderfully "quick study." I once heard it asserted in open court that he could tell what was inside a brief by simply smelling it. Perhaps that was hyperbole. —Mr Melton Prior, tho distinguished war artist and war correspondent of the Illustrated London News, says that the night before the battle is always a blue time, but as soon as the bullets are flying one feels as right as a rocket. Herzegovina he considers his most arduous campaign. In the Boer war in 1881 Mr Prior slept in General Jouberfc's tent the night subsequent to the receipt of Mr Gladstone's telegram, " Must arrange terms of peace," and was ready to icceive Sir Evelyn AYood, who visited the Boer camp the next morning. Merriest of men. Melton Prior is ever blithe, save when a touch of his old Ashanti fever prostrates him. — The Kaiser's children are noted for their courteous manners, and are most considerate for everyone who comes in contact with them. The little Princess Victoria of Germany is said to have a decided will of her own, and will sometimes take a fancy to stand up in the royal carriage when she is driving in Berlin with one of her ladies-in-waiting. The decorous lady-in-wailing will implore her to sit down, but the little princess will get up again, like a jack-in-the-box, if the fancy takes her to do so. She is a very warmhearted little child, however, and can easily bo ruled through hec affection?. It is no wonder if she is a little spoilt— the long-desired little girl, and the only one in a family of seven. — Captain Guy dv Maurier. who, with the assistance of his brother. Mr Gerald dv Maurier (a member of Mr Tree's company), has written a comedietta, now being performed at St. George's Hall, London, is the eldest how of the famous Punch artist and author of " Trilby." Captain dv Maurier is in the 7th Ftifilicrs, and has seen service in Crete, where he was not only instrumental in restoring 4 order after the troubles, but was appointed an administrator of justice with the most successful results. Although a soldier by profession, Captain dv Maurier has always had a loanincf towards the stage, and he has proved himself one of the best amateurs of the day. — Mrs Jamos Brown-Potter, who organised tho successful Maine fete in London, has shown pluck in a very adventurous career. She began her career os a New York society beauty, and her amateur theatrical triumphs occasioned a difference of opinion with her husband. Then she made her professional debut in London, and the critic? voted her " a lovely failure," lo quote Mr Clement Scott. Three time^ she toured round the world, acting to Californian miners, lo Indian rajahs, to Australian settlers. All the while she was learning her crt. Then she went beck to take London by storm as Miladi in "Three Musketeers." She lives in the north of the metropolis, i» very witly_. has a botanist's knowledge of flowers, and a wonderfully shrewd acquaintance with life. — The late Madame Lebrelon-Bourbaki, who, during 30 years, was the faithful companion of the Empress Eugenic, was the sister of General Bourbilci, who commanded the Imperial Guard. It was on this account that her Imperial Majesty decided to choose her in 1867 as her reader in the place of Mdlle. Biiivet. v, ho had married a xic'.i lninufacluver of Picardy, and had been rai°ed to the rank of a lady of honour. Little did Madame

Lebreton dream of the fate that was in store for her. When the Empress was forced to leave the Tuileries in consequence of the revolution, Madame Lebreton-Bourbaki accompanied her in her painful exile. From that moment a tie. which death alone could sever, was formed between the Empress and her lady of honour. Madame Lehrelon-Bour-btiki was for several years past almost blind. She married twice — first to M. Le Motheux, by whom she had a son who did not live : and, secondly, M. Lebreton, by whom she also had t\ son, who entered the army and was killed at Metz, where he was flag-bearer to lii-j uncle. General Bourbaki. The remains of Madame Lebreton were taken from FarnTiorough to Aniou for buripl. The Empress Eugenic, who was deeply sfflicted by her death, ordered a religious service to bo celebrated for her at Farnborough. The mass was said in the small chapel where the Emperor and the Prince Imperial ?re interred.